Motorsport: Supercars announce format for Larry Perkins Trophy

Supercars drivers will race for the Larry Perkins Trophy at the Australian Grand Prix in 2018. Photo / Getty Images

The Larry Perkins Trophy will be up for grabs for the first time at the maiden Melbourne Supercars championship round as part of the 2018 Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

Supercars announced on Thursday the trophy - in honour of the ex-F1 driver and touring car great - would be awarded to the overall winner of the Melbourne 400 round that will feature four races in three days in March.

Supercars unveiled the format after it was announced in June the Melbourne event would officially become a championship round from 2018 as part of a new deal that keeps the category at Albert Park until 2023.

Ten-minute qualifying sessions will be held across Thursday and Friday of the March 22-25 second round meet that will set the grid for the four races.

Races on Friday and Saturday will be contested across 60 minutes and 132km, with a compulsory pit stop for tyres and fuel used for the first time at Albert Park.

Another race on Saturday and Sunday's final event before the 2018 Formula One season opener will be 30-minute, 69km sprints.

The winner's trophy is named after Victorian Perkins who made 11 F1 starts in the 1970s before returning to Australia, claiming the Bathurst 1000 six times.

"To be honoured in this way is something you don't plan for, so when it comes along it's a bit of a shock, really," Perkins told Supercars.com.au.

The Melbourne round finally received official status after being held as an exhibition event since 1996.

"We are delighted Supercars now enjoys the status as an official support category of Formula 1 here in Australia and internationally," Supercars CEO James Warburton said.

"We thank and applaud the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and Formula One management for making this happen for the first time in the 20 years we have featured at the event."