Australia’s Broc Parkes admits that he was too conservative in last weekend’s World Supersport Championship opener at Phillip Island.

Pole position man Parkes made a less than perfect start in the WSS race and was down in fifth for some time, then dropped to sixth, before fighting back to score third place at his home race – all despite ever-worsening rear tyre grip.

Due to fears about tyre life in the hot track conditions at Phillip Island the opening round was shortened to 15-laps instead of the scheduled 21.

“I did not get a good start, but I was not too concerned about it,” Parkes reflected. “I did not attack well enough in the first six or seven laps. So I left my charge a bit too late. I was really concerned about my rear tyre, maybe a little bit too much.

“It was still torn quite a bit at the end. I just could not do any more and had to take the points today. I lost a gap early on and tried to close the gap at the end, but my grip was going quite quick at the end. A top three in the first race is quite good all the same.”

Parkes now sits third in the series heading back to Imola in Europe for the second round of 2012.