A formal statement was released worldwide on December 3 at 15:00 by Adrian Sutil and his lawyer, Dirk Schmitz, addressing the criminal investigations currently underway in Germany, with a second coming later in the day…

The communiqué confirms that the former Formula One driver is presently in pre-trial detention, a situation his legal team says is primarily linked to the fact that he does not hold a permanent residence in Germany but is instead resident in the Principality of Monaco.

According to the statement, the allegations relate to suspected financial offences connected to Sutil’s international commercial activities. However, Sutil firmly contests all accusations. He maintains that, at this stage, no third party has suffered any proven financial loss. His defence explains that the matters in question concern international and cross-border leasing contracts and financial securities, which are governed by differing national legal frameworks and therefore subject to contrasting legal interpretations.

The statement further suggests that the circumstances surrounding the launch of the investigation point to what is described as a deliberate and misleading attempt to damage Sutil’s reputation. In a significant development, Sutil also claims that he is himself the victim of a major financial fraud elsewhere in Europe, adding a further layer of complexity to the case.

In a further clarification, issued later in the afternoon, Sutil’s legal team has now confirmed that he is fully cooperating with the relevant investigating authorities in order to contribute to a swift and comprehensive clarification of the matter. He has expressed confidence that the allegations will ultimately prove to be unfounded once the investigation is completed on the basis of factual and evidential findings alone.

The latest statement also includes a formal request for strict respect of the presumption of innocence, urging both the public and the media not to influence the proceedings through speculative or prejudicial reporting before the authorities have concluded their work.

Finally, Sutil has publicly thanked his friends, colleagues, and business partners in Monaco, Germany, and internationally for their continued support and trust during what he describes as a difficult and deeply unfair personal situation.

For now, both Sutil and his representatives are calling for restraint in public judgment while the judicial process continues.