McLaren Group, the business behind the super car manufacturer and Formula 1 racing team, has been drawn into a mystery Government investigation that could damage its finances.

Buried in the McLaren Group’s annual accounts, the business said it had been approached by unnamed “UK government authorities in connection with an ongoing investigation”.

Investigators are seeking “information concerning certain third-party companies and concerning executive and other persons who have been, or are currently, associated with the group”, the documents said.

The company is understood to have been aware of the inquiry for at least a year, but this is the first time details have emerged. McLaren is known for its secrecy, a legacy of protecting its technology in the cut-throat world of F1.

A spokesman for McLaren Group said: “We are not in a position to comment further for legal reasons.”