Adrian Sutil handed second chance in Formula One with Force India for the 2013 season While Vijay Mallya's team are yet to confirm the appointment officially, Nicolas Todt, agent for reserve driver Jules Bianchi, disclosed on Wednesday that the more experienced Sutil had been preferred to the French rookie. The 30-year-old Sutil, who has competed in 90 races, lost his Force India seat after he was convicted of attacking Eric Lux, the co-owner of Lotus, with a champagne glass in a Shanghai bar during the week of the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix. Lux required 24 stitches for the wound as the glass narrowly missed a major artery. Lewis Hamilton was due to appear at his trial as a witness, but when the Briton failed to turn up Sutil described him as a "coward" whom he no longer regarded as a friend. Sutil was given a £167,000 fine and an 18-month suspended prison sentence for causing grievous bodily harm. Sutil, poised to partner Scotland's Paul di Resta for this year's Force India campaign, achieved a career-best finish of fourth at Monza in 2009 and has not raced since Brazil in 2011. His manager Adrian Zimmerman on Wednesday night remained cautious over Todt's remarks, saying: "Nothing has been finalised yet. We are still hoping and waiting for confirmation. The impending switch for Sutil, son of celebrated Uruguay-born pianist Jorge, appears harsh on Bianchi, the exciting 23-year-old who registered the third best overall time during testing at Jerez earlier this month despite completing only 50 laps on the final day. Nico Hulkenberg, Di Resta's team-mate for 2012, has since left for Sauber.