Five bidders for Force India, claims Wolff

Toto Wolff believes there are five interested parties bidding for control of Force India after the Formula 1 team entered administration last week, but says Mercedes is not among them.

Force India formally entered administration last Friday following a High Court hearing in London after legal action was triggered by driver Sergio Perez, with engine supplier Mercedes supporting the move. Force India owes Mercedes more than €10 million due to debts racked up in recent years.

After claiming earlier in the week that there was "great interest" in Force India from possible buyers with "deep pockets", Mercedes F1 chief Wolff revealed after the race on Sunday in Hungary that there were five bidders hoping to purchase the team.

"The team has gone into ordinary administration and the administrator is taking over," Wolff said.

"There are five bidders. We’re not one of them and we’re not interested.

"We are one of the creditors, one of the suppliers that has helped the team over God knows how many years in competing. So let’s see how that goes."

Wolff previously enjoyed a financial stake in Williams while running Mercedes, but said on Friday he would not be interested in taking equity in another F1 team in the near future.

"When I decided to take up the opportunity with Daimler and became a shareholder of the Mercedes F1 team and involved in the management of it, I had to relinquish all positions of potential conflict of interest," Wolff said.

"I sold my shares in HWA, and I also sold the shares in Williams. I will not, neither directly or indirectly, be involved in any other Formula 1 team."