Adrian Sutil could be stranded without a ride for the upcoming season. (Photo: Getty Images)

Sutil To Lotus Rumors 'A Joke' Scoffs Lux: Eric Lux scoffed when asked if Adrian Sutil was ever really a contender to race for the Lotus team in 2012. German Sutil has lost his Force India race seat after five seasons and is hoping he can rescue his embattled career by switching to Williams. Earlier, however, the 29-year-old was linked with Lotus, the former Renault team now owned by Genii, the investment firm headed by Luxembourgian Lux. Lux claims he was attacked by Sutil in a Shanghai nightclub last April, in an incident that will go to trial in Germany later this month. "I realized in the elevator what had just happened and I thought to myself 'now you have three minutes to live'," Lux is quoted by the FAZ newspaper. Sutil reportedly claims he was trying only to tip his drink over Lux's head after a verbal quarrel. As for whether the driver was ever in the running to race for Lotus in 2012, Lux scoffed: "That would be a joke, right? "At least he has now apologized to me," he added.

Di Resta, Ricciardo, Face 2012 With Eyes On Future: At least two F1 drivers have admitted to looking ahead to the 2012 season with a firm eye on the future. Paul di Resta made his Grand Prix debut last year as the reigning DTM champion, having driven for Mercedes in the premier German touring car series. He has been retained by Mercedes-powered Force India for 2012 but admitted he would snap up the chance to drive for the German carmaker's works team. "I'd love to drive for them," he is quoted by the Daily Mail. "I've got great friends and great support at Mercedes-Benz. I've been part of their program for six years and I'm still very close to them now."I never say never," added di Resta, 25. Meanwhile, as he moves from HRT to Red Bull's rookie team Toro Rosso for 2012, Australian Daniel Ricciardo admitted he regards himself as an outside chance to replace his countryman Mark Webber for the 2013 season. "It's a long time away and many things can happen between now and then, that's the reality," he told F1's official website. "I understand very well the philosophy of Red Bull and, yes, one day I would love to race for Red Bull Racing, but that's all it is for now -- just a bit of a goal."

Mercedes Also Working On Lotus Braking Idea: Mercedes is the next team working on a copy of Lotus' innovative 'braking ride-height correction' system ahead of the 2012 system. Shortly after news broke that the former Renault team had devised a passive and therefore legal system to stabilize a car's ride height under braking, reports emerged that Ferrari is "working on a similar system". The BBC said last week that it believed the Italian giant was "the only other team to have contacted the FIA" about the concept. But Italian reports, including on the Italiaracing website and the daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, claim Mercedes GP is also working to "quickly copy" the Lotus idea. Mercedes does not intend to take its new car, the W03, to the first official test at Jerez early next month, instead opting for additional factory time ahead of the second session at Barcelona. It is also rumored that Red Bull experimented with a Lotus-style braking system back in 2010 but abandoned it.