Motorsport: Andretti buys into Walkinshaw Racing

James Courtney drives the #22 Mobil 1 HSV Racing Holden Commodore. Photo / Getty Images

Suddenly, everything has changed for the 2018 Supercars season.

Walkinshaw Racing is set to become a powerhouse again after IndyCar outfit Andretti Autosport and McLaren Formula One chief Zak Brown's United Autosports confirmed they would buy into the battling Holden team.

From January 1 the team will be known as Walkinshaw Andretti Autosport, pending Supercars approval.

WR team boss Ryan Walkinshaw and Michael Andretti will be equal stakeholders, with Brown holding a minority share.

It is a game-changer for the forgotten former factory-backed outfit, which now has all the resources to return to the Supercars summit.

Andretti is part of American racing royalty. And Brown? He was the man touted to take over from Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone.

"Today is the beginning of a new era. We are still firmly focused on the job at hand for 2017, but are eagerly looking forward to 2018," Walkinshaw said.