Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

DPH Motorsport Yamaha’s Hayden Mellross believes he has a point to prove in this year’s Australian Supercross Championship after accepting an agonising defeat in the 2016 edition of the series.

The popular New South Welshman set out to stamp his authority at Jimboomba’s opening round on Saturday night, which is exactly what he did, shifting his way into the lead to extend a comfortable 10.765s advantage as he crossed the line for victory.

“I feel like I’ve got a point to prove for sure,” Mellross explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “Obviously not winning the championship last year in that fashion was very, very hard – a tough pill to swallow – but it’s developed me as a rider and person over the past 12 months.

“Coming into this opening round, I had an open mind and wanted to set the pace. It’s a very short season – only six rounds. I wanted to come here, set the pace and leave with a solid result to put myself in the championship hunt – I feel like I did that.

“By lap five or six tonight I had passed Gavin [Faith], I was ready to go – I was feeling great, I had some really good lines out on the track and I believed in myself. I put my head down for 10 laps, didn’t look back and when the chequers flew, I had developed a big lead, and for me, that’s given me a lot of confidence.”

The Australian Supercross Championship now heads to Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, on 14 October for the second stop on the six-round calendar.