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Lawyer claims ex-F1 star victim of €17 million extortion plot
Former F1 star Adrian Sutil has allegedly been the victim of a €17 million blackmail scheme, as claimed by his lawyer Dirk Schmitz. Sutil, accused of aggravated fraud and embezzlement towards the end of last year, denies these charges. The 42-year-old, who raced in F1 from 2007 to 2014 without securing a podium finish, reportedly lost nine high-value cars from his private garage in Monaco due to the alleged extortion plot. Schmitz speculated that the blackmail initiated with a mysterious call from a member of the Russian Wagner group, a private military outfit, demanding the vehicles. Sutil’s difficult past involves a criminal case in 2011 when he injured Lotus team executive Eric Lux with a glass, leading to a suspended sentence and strained relationships, including with former colleague Lewis Hamilton. Despite these controversies, Sutil continues to face legal challenges amid the murky world of high-stakes crime and motor racing.
