Mallya to Purchase Ecclestone Share in Queens Park Rangers

Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore embarked on a journey to take London football club Queens Park Rangers back to greatness a few years back, when they decided to purchase the majority stake in the English organization back in August 2007. Three years later, they both seem to want out, yet its another prominent F1 figure willing to continue their efforts.

According to The Evening Standard newspaper, Force India F1 Team owner Vijay Mallya has already held several talks with F1 supremo Ecclestone in order to buy his share in the 1882-based football club.

After spending 3 years at the helm of Queens Park Rangers, Ecclestone and Briatore have finally taken it to the top of the Football League Championship in 2010, where they sit alone in 1st place, yet to be defeated in the first 10 rounds of the season. Nevertheless, it seems that the club's rise to success did little to impress its two F1-related investors, as both are looking forward to take their money elsewhere.

Mallya, the Indian billionaire who not only controls a Formula One team, but also sits at the helm of Indian cricket team Royal Challengers, is willing to take a “significant” stake in the club, and an agreement between those three is reportedly expected to be reached in a few weeks time.

If that were to happen, the ownership of the London club would rest solely in the hands of Indian investors, the other current co-owner of QPR is Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, placed 5th in the world's richest men's list.

Earlier this year, in February, Briatore stepped down as chairman of the club, confirming his intentions to withdraw from football as soon as possible.