An impressive return to domestic competition saw Bailey Malkiewicz finish third overall in MX2 at Wonthaggi’s Penrite ProMX opener, the Serco Yamaha rider confident he has the speed to challenge for victories this season.

The 2018 125cc Junior Motocross world champion delivered a 4-3 scorecard to commence the 2022 championship, however, remains hungry to work his way onto the top step.

“It stacked up alright, I mean everyone there wanted to be on top but coming away with third is a good way to start off the season,” Malkiewicz explained to MotoOnline when asked about how his performance at Wonthaggi stacked up to his personal expectations.

“Knowing that we were up there at the start, we should be there for the full season which will be good. So I was pretty happy with it, but deep down we know we can do more.”

Wilson Todd is arguably the current man to beat in MX2, the two-time champion in the class going 1-1 at Wonthaggi to open 2022 in the perfect way. That said, Malkiewicz is confident he has what it takes to contest for the win against the Terrafirma Equipment Sales Honda rider, potentially even this weekend in Mackay.

“Definitely it can come this weekend, we know we have got the speed there, it’s just making sure we are set up on the bike properly and also the starts,” Malkiewicz added.

“The starts in Wonthaggi weren’t the best, but I know how to pass and I know how to make my way through the field pretty fast, so that helped me out at round one. But definitely, some better starts will help us out for the full length of the moto and get better results.”

Malkiewicz returns to full-time competition in Australia with Serco Yamaha for 2022, racing in Europe across the last two seasons, 2020 in world MX2 with Honda 114 Motorsports and 2021 in select races with Hutten Metaal Yamaha in EMX250.

“I’d say it’s more intense over in Europe, being back home racing is more chilled, relaxed and racing isn’t as intense. In the racing sense of things, once you get going, the racing is kind of all go-go-go for the first five – 10 minutes, then it kind of dies off near the end.

“The gaps between riders just separates a lot more than overseas. When you race overseas, it’s 30 minutes as fast and as hard as you can go, because no matter what, there is someone on you.

“Here in Australia, it’s like that for the first half of the race, then it dies off near the end because most riders are further in front of other riders by then. Unless you are up the top and you are battling for the top few positions, then you might be at the intensity the whole race, we will have to wait and see.”