A trio of important sponsors appear destined for next year’s Formula One grid.

With Renault’s ‘ING’ title sponsorship to be unveiled in the coming weeks, it is understood that McLaren and Honda are also likely to snare significant deals.

McLaren, to run reigning champion Fernando Alonso in 2007, is rumoured to be edging towards a $18m a year deal with Spanish-based bank ‘Banco Santander Central Hispano’.

Honda, meanwhile, is set to lose cigarette backer Lucky Strike at the end of the year, and could have harvested a sponsor from McLaren to fill the void.

Speculation is linking the Japanese marque with Emirates, after the international airline apparently baulked at the minimal exposure offered on McLaren’s new Vodafone livery.

[GMM]

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