The German state bank BayernLB is suing Bernie Ecclestone and his family holding Bambino for around €345m (£270m) in relation to the sale of its stake in Formula One.
The news agency DPA says BayernLB announced the move in Munich on Friday.
The bank rejected a €25m settlement offer from Ecclestone in August, after a Munich court dropped a bribery case against the 84-year-old Englishman.