Vijay Mallya steps down as Force India director

Vijay Mallya has stepped down as a director of his own Formula 1 team.

A filing at Companies House shows that the Indian's directorship of his team Force India was terminated last Thursday.

Mallya has left the board of directors in order to focus on his legal problems, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports.

Mallya remains a major shareholder and team boss, and the report said Bob Fernley and Otmar Szafnauer are also staying in their prominent roles.

The news comes amid rumours that Silverstone-based Force India is close to being sold to British energy drink Rich Energy.