Image: Keith Muir.

Depth in the Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) will make for a hard-fought season of racing, Yamaha Racing Team’s Wayne Maxwell said after qualifying third at Phillip Island.

The 2013 title-winner Maxwell, 34, has been racing at the national level for over 15 years and is impressed with the growth the ASBK has witnessed in 2017.

“Past and future champions are in the field… there are so many guys,” Maxwell said post-qualifying. “You’ve got guys like [Daniel] Falzon who have won in 600s and he’s been chipping away in his own team. It seems to be working quite well for him.

“The general feeling in the paddock is unbelievable. I mean, I’m one of the oldest guys in the Superbike paddock, and it’s really, really good to see. There’s a lot of interest because of the young guys, some older guys who have championships and can still win, plus the guys who have come back from overseas. They’re super-strong.”

With 39 riders qualifying via the single 15-minute session on Friday ahead of the trio of 12-lap races across the weekend, Maxwell said track position was critical and a front-row start will be beneficial.

“I got away with the front guys and got a little bit held up, but nothing major,” he continued. “I didn’t have the speed to get pole, because those guys were really fast with soft tyres in, and I’m actually quite happy with my race-pace. I feel good on the bike and I’m looking forward to it.

“We do have to remember we still have six rounds after this, so it’s a matter of finding that middle ground – you want to win, but also make sure you finish. Hopefully I can gain some confidence and the front-row will be very important. Here, you can burn the tyre up trying to bridge a gap, so I’d rather start at the front than not.”