Wayne Maxwell rode to two strong second place finishes at Symmons Plains. Image: Andrew Gosling/TBG Sport.

Team Suzuki’s new signing Wayne Maxwell is targeting improvement after Tasmania despite making his best ever start to a QBE Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) campaign.

The Victorian put passing moves on fast-starting teammate Robbie Bugden in both Symmons Plains races to record two solid second positions and come away second in points behind BMW’s Glenn Allerton.

Maxwell hasn’t finished outside the top two in any of his four starts with the team, with the weekend’s results complimenting his dominance of the non-championship event at Phillip Island in February.

Despite the positive start, he said he would continue to push himself to keep his title bid on track.

“It’s my best ever start to an ASBK campaign, so I couldn’t be more happy with the Team Suzuki GSX-R1000,” said Maxwell. “It’s a great way to kick-off the year, a satisfying result considering it’s my first official championship race on the bike, and we are gelling together in a really positive way.

“We started off the weekend behind Glenn and although we improved, he did too, but it’s still early days and I’m confident we’re up for the challenge in 2013.

“Phil and Lynne Tainton, plus all of the guys in the team, are right behind me and I’m enjoying it a lot – we’ll be trying hard all year long to win this title.”

Maxwell has twice been a runner-up in the ASBK title hunt, missing out by 13.5 points in 2012 and a mere 7.5 points in 2010. On both occasions he finished second behind the rider he has replaced at Team Suzuki, the British Superbike-bound Josh Waters.

Team Suzuki will be among a number of teams testing at Queensland Raceway prior to round three from 14-16 June, 2013.