Image: Foremost Media.

Phillip Island opening race winner Harrison Voight elected to exit the rain-affected second affair at Phillip Island on Sunday, crushing his overall podium hopes upon return to the Mi-Bike Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) – a decision made it focus on upcoming European commitments.

In his third apperance of the year with McMartin Racing on the Panigale V4 R at round five, Voight qualified in P3 and then starred by edging runaway points leader Josh Waters to the opening race victory on Sunday morning.

Once the rain came ahead of the second encounter later that afternoon, the Queensland teenager chose to enter the pits two laps in, and said he was playing it safe in order to concentrate on the Moto2 European Championship. That placed him seventh overall for the weekend.

“Just with the conditions and I’ve gotta fly back to Europe – I race next week,” Voight explained. “I’ve had a great weekend and I got a great start then, but because I didn’t get going at the start and I got pushed around a bit, it was hard to see with all the rain coming off the riders. In these conditions, the circuit is quite slippery, so it is better to play it safe than get hurt. I’m not in it for the championship, so it was good just to get some laps in.”

Riding for the Yamaha Philippines Stylobike Racing Team, Voight is currently positioned 13th in the European championship entering round five at Jerez, Spain, this weekend.