Force India chief returns to F1 paddock despite travel restrictions

Mallya is subject to restrictions on travel due to his legal issues in India, so Silverstone represents his first chance to see his cars in action this year.

"I'd be lying if I said to you I didn't miss it," Mallya told Motorsport.com. "It's absolutely fantastic to be back. I can't remember the last time, except the first year, when I actually arrived on a Thursday!

"So I'm savouring every moment. I love racing, I'm a petrolhead, I'm passionate about it, that's why I bought this team in the first place.

"Monaco I missed terribly, I missed the bonus of the podium in Monaco, I missed Baku, which I believe is fantastic. To that extent I'd be lying if I said I missed nothing.

"Having said that life must go on, and being based here and not travelling I have more time to devote to want I want to. Working out six days a week so I shed a few kilos and I'm feeling good and fit.

"I've been spending a lot of time with the team, on the upgrades for this season, the transition into 2017, which is now done. And I'm enjoying it. Before it used to be a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but now I'm getting to truly enjoy the stuff I do.

"Inability to travel is, I admit, frustrating, but equally it isn't the end of the world. England has always been a home to me, I've been resident here with leave to remain indefinitely since 1992, so I am very familiar with it. It isn't as if I am in some sort of alien land."

'Mission control'

Mallya says that he has remained fully involved with the team, even if he's not been present in person on race weekends.

"I have a sort of mini mission control set up at home. I have a big TV screen, and then I have my computers and communication equipment. I can talk to the garage and I talk to the pit wall, I've got all the data in front of me. Arguably sometimes you get to see more.

"In my life over the last few years running various companies as I have I've been fortunate to have excellent management teams that I've put in place. Every one of these companies as had their moments of success, it's not that I've always been there.

"So I'm also used to remotely enjoying moments of success."

"Fourth is the target"

Mallya says that the clear target is to challenge Williams for fourth place in the constructors' championship.

"Fourth is the target, we'll do everything we can to get there," he added. "If not there's nothing wrong with being in fifth position either.

"We've brought a new update here to Silverstone, whether we get the maximum benefit out of this update at this track remains to be seen, but going forward this update should make a difference and put us in a strong position to compete with Williams. The team is going exactly the way I always wanted it to go."

He says that the team is in a healthy state: "The finances of the team are vastly improved, and in fact have improved year on year. It doesn't cost the shareholders what it did five or six years ago."