Force India's Sutil upbeat on Shanghai return

SHANGHAI (AFP) –

Force India driver Adrian Sutil of Germany sits in the race car during the first practice session of the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang on March 22 , 2013. Sutil vowed on Thursday that more was to come after a promising start to the new campaign, as the German returned to Shanghai, the scene of his most infamous moment.

Force India’s Adrian Sutil vowed on Thursday that more was to come after a promising start to the new campaign, as the German returned to the scene of his most infamous moment.

The 30-year-old spent a year in the Formula One wilderness after an incident two years ago in a Shanghai nightclub that saw him given a suspended jail sentence and a 200,000-euro ($260,000) fine for assaulting Lotus executive Eric Lux.

But on his comeback to the sport at last month’s Australian Grand Prix Sutil bounced back in style. He became the surprise leader for 14 laps before eventually finishing seventh.

He failed to finish in Malaysia.

“No worries, no emotions,” Sutil said of his return to the city where his career nearly ended. “The past, for me, is done and I’m concentrating on my future.”

He said of his prospects on Sunday in the Chinese Grand Prix: “It was just a good start in Melbourne, disappointing in Malaysia because the pace was very, very good again, but in qualifying we got caught out a little bit again with the rain and in the race we had problems with the pit stops.

“But we solved those and we’re confident. Everything is possible. It’s in my hands.

He added: “It’s just a sign that with this car there’s definitely much more possible.”