Eric Lux’s lawyer has confirmed the Genii Capital chief executive is taking legal action against Force India driver Adrian Sutil.
The 28-year-old German driver recently apologised after it emerged he had injured Lux - involved in the ownership and management of the Renault team - in the neck with a broken glass at a nightclub in Shanghai one month ago.
We reported on Monday that Lux had decided to take legal action that could involve a damages claim of EUR 10 million.
"Mr Eric Lux has decided to file a criminal complaint against Mr Adrian Sutil for physical assault and grievous bodily harm," Lux’s Swiss lawyer Dr Marc Henzelin confirmed in a statement on Monday.
"As soon as the complaint is registered, the FIA and Force India will be notified," the statement added.
German newspaper Bild said Sutil’s friend Lewis Hamilton was in the same VIP room at the M1NT nightclub at the time of the incident, and the statement said Lux "does not exclude commencing an action against any other persons involved in this matter".
Sutil’s manager Manfred Zimmerman responded by saying he and the driver heard about Lux’s legal action in the media.
"In recent weeks Adrian has made several attempts to make contact with Mr Lux with no success," he told the German press.
"Should there be an indictment, we will fight it," he promised.
"Anyone who knows Adrian knows that he would not intentionally hurt anybody. When it comes to this injury, Adrian regrets it very much but it was an unfortunate accident with no intention," added Zimmermann.