Rookie star
Adrian Sutil will drive for the
Force India F1 team next season and will not move to
Toyota, according to his manager, Manfred Zimmerman.
Speculation that Sutil could be drafted in to replace
Jarno Trulli intensified recently when Adrian and Zimmerman apparently visited the Cologne-based operations team HQ.
Zimmerman though has dismissed the rumours. Indeed he denies that either he or Sutil has visited the Toyota team in the last six months.
"That is a lie," he told Dutch publication
Formule 1 Race Report. "Perhaps it was someone that looks like Adrian, but neither of us has been there in the past six months.
"We have had conversations with Vijay Mallya in which he confirmed that Adrian will drive next year for Force India
F1.
"That is 100 per cent certain."
As for beyond 2008, Zimmerman added that while Toyota is one option, there are others.
"Who Adrian will join after 2008 is open. We are in conversations with several teams – not just Toyota," he explained.
The Force India F1 team meanwhile is expected to officially confirm its driver line-up early in the New Year, with Sutil and
Giancarlo Fisichella tipped to be given the nod.
