Co-owner Vijay Mallya has resigned as a director of the Force India Formula One team but will continue to serve as principal and shareholder.

“I continue as team principal,” the beleaguered businessman told the Motorsport.com website on Thursday.

“There was no compulsion anywhere to resign, it’s just that I decided that my son should replace me.

“I have my own legal issues to take care of. So it’s better that the company remains unaffected.”

Mallya, who lives in Britain, is fighting a court battle to prevent his extradition to India to face charges of fraud.