Audi and Porsche are set to enter Formula 1 as engine suppliers in 2026, according to Car Magazine.
Rumours circulated earlier in the season that Audi had agreed a deal to buy the McLaren Group, but these were quickly dismissed by the Woking-based outfit.
Buy an F1 TV Pro subscription to watch live races
However, it has now been reported that the deal between the two parties is all but agreed.
Diligence has yet to be completed, but major shareholders at McLaren are said to have agreed the sale of the team and its automotive arm to the German car giant.
Porsche and Audi are both said to be waiting for approval from Volkswagen to go ahead with the arrangement.
READ: Ricciardo opens up on ‘tough love’ at Red Bull vs ‘family-style’ McLaren
McLaren have made financial losses in recent years, and the Mumtalakat Holding Company – Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund which owns a stake in the British car-maker – is reportedly keen on the sale.
Car Magazine suggest that Lambourghini, Porsche and Audi will all benefit from the deal.
It has been reported that Porsche, meanwhile, are in talks with Red Bull about supplying them with powertrains in a few years’ time.
The Milton Keynes-based team have been powered by Honda since the 2019 season, and upon their deal with the Japanese manufacturer expiring at the end of 2021, they bought the intellectual property of their power units.
As a result, the team will be constructing their own powertrains, with Honda said to be happy to advise in the process.
READ: Hamilton ridiculed for taking Roscoe on private jet
Originally, it was theorised that Audi and Porsche might team up to form their own Formula 1 team, but it seems they will instead put their resources into powering current teams.
The general consensus is that Porsche and Audi will work together to create a powertrain which will benefit Red Bull and McLaren.
McLaren recorded a £222.9 million loss in 2020, having reported a profit of £91.1 million profit the previous year.
This loss, at least partly, came as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the legacy has been 830 redundancies.
BMW were reportedly also in the hunt to buy McLaren, but this deal is now said to be dead in the water.
Follow us on Google News to never miss an F1 story