From next year the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix will play host to a full championship round on the Supercars calendar.

The decision to finally award championship points at Albert Park arrives after years of lobbying from Supercars to upgrade its non-championship round, which has supported the Australian Grand Prix annually except for 2007.

Previous attempts to secure championship status at one of Australia’s showpiece motorsport events have been knocked back by Formula 1 management.

However, F1’s new owners Liberty Media have offered a fresh approach to the sport and have recognised the boost in fan engagement Supercars provides to the event.

Supercars’ non championship events have added to the spectacle at Albert Park but have been treated by some teams as a chance to test and trial radical set-ups, given the meeting doesn’t affect the championship standings.

An upgrade to full championship status next year will add far more importance on the event to teams.

Question marks surround the race formats which will be chosen around Formula 1’s strict track time requirements.

Non-championship events have featured four 30 minute sprint races, with this option among those available to organisers alongside the prospect of races lasting up to 60 minutes.

Supercars also has its own pit lane at Albert Park which could be utilised if compulsory pit stops are chosen to be included in the race format options.

Championship status has proved a divisive subject among the drivers.

Several have called for the round to join the full Supercars calendar while six-time champion Jamie Whincup admitted at this year’s event he enjoys the pure racing the non-championship event provides.

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