V8 Supercars could race for championship points at Melbourne Grand Prix Together again: F1 and V8s will share the program at Albert Park. The partial return of V8 Supercars to Channel Ten in 2015 opens the way for the Australian Grand Prix supporting races to finally gain championship status. V8 officials and the AGP organisers will look at making the annual exhibition races count towards the title under V8's new six-year broadcast deal. "We're very keen on the idea and we'll explore it for 2015 and beyond," Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Andrew Westacott told Fairfax Media. It's definitely on the radar. The V8s' appearances on the formula one undercard at Albert Park are not included in the national championship because Channel Seven has exclusive free-to-air TV rights to the series until the end of next year. The major stumbling block will be cleared when Channel Ten, which shows the F1 Australian GP and support races, regains the V8s as part of the $241-million broadcast rights agreement for 2015-20 under which most of the events will switch to Fox Sports on subscription TV. Ten lost the V8 rights to Seven in 2007 but has shown the non-championship races within its coverage of the Melbourne GP. The clash of broadcasters has been the only barrier to the races counting towards the title since the V8s got their own pit lane complex at the Albert Park street circuit in 2011. F1 rules did not allow V8 Supercars to use the main pit lane, precluding the pit stops that are required at championship events. With its own pits and a renewed broadcast partnership with Ten, V8 Supercars will have the opportunity in 2015 to add the Australian GP to its championship calendar. "It absolutely makes complete sense," a V8 spokesman said. We would love the grand prix to be a championship event if possible. We've solved the hardest issues, but there are still hurdles to jump. The move would have to be approved by F1 authorities, with their main concern being the strict scheduling requirements imposed to ensure that F1 track time isn't delayed by incidents in supporting races. Equally, the V8 championship rules also require specific timings and formats for practice and qualifying sessions, and races. Although he is yet to discuss the idea with V8 executives, AGPC's Westacott is enthusiastic about the prospect of upgrading the V8 races to championship status. "I think it'd be fantastic for the sport and the fans," he said. We'd look at working with Ten, V8s and F1 to fit something into the schedule. Fitting it into the event's format is probably going to be the key thing. It can be fantastic for V8s and fantastic for motor sport. We'll work closely with all partners over the next 12 months for the benefit of the fans. Other considerations are the future of the F1 Australian GP and Ten's F1 TV rights deal, which runs until the end of the 2015 season. Although the Victorian government's current agreement with F1 expires after the event in 2015, Westacott confirmed that talks were continuing to secure a renewal and planning was proceeding on the basis that it will continue. Ten's interest in showing the F1 world championship from 2016 would be heavily influenced by whether the Australian GP remains on the calendar. The non-championship V8 races at March's Melbourne GP are expected to follow the four-race format at this year's event.