Adrian Sutil has told the German courts that he did everything he could to try and settle a dispute with Lotus (then Renault) team co-owner Eric Lux after their fight in a Chinese night club last year.
Speaking on the first day of a court hearing in Munich on Monday to examine the incident between the former Force India driver and Lux, Sutil revealed that he even offered to help charity efforts in Africa in a bid to resolve the matter.
"I did everything to try to settle this row," Sutil said in a report by the Reuters news agency. "I am really sorry, extremely sorry. I never wanted for this to happen."
Sutil is facing charges of bodily harm over the incident that took place after the Chinese Grand Prix last year. He could face a one-year suspended sentence if found guilty of injuring Lux, who required stitches to his neck.
Lux told the court that he wanted a face-to-face apology from Sutil over the matter. "A phone call is not good enough," explained Lux.
The court hearing is scheduled to continue on Tuesday.