Malaysian rider Hakim Danish endured a dramatic opening day at the Moto3 World Championship after suffering two crashes during Practice sessions at the iconic Mugello Circuit on Friday.
Representing MT Helmets-MSi under the AEON Credit-backed squad, the young Malaysian eventually finished 21st overall in combined Practice timings and will now be forced to battle through Q1 during Saturday’s qualifying session.
Hakim showed promising speed in the morning Free Practice 1 session, consistently improving his lap times before a crash in the final eight minutes interrupted his momentum.
Despite the setback, the Malaysian talent still managed to secure an encouraging eighth place with a best lap of 2:11.486, finishing 1.556 seconds behind the session leader.
His aggressive approach and willingness to push the limits at Mugello highlighted the confidence he has been building throughout the 2026 Moto3 campaign.
The afternoon Practice session proved far more difficult for Hakim after he suffered a high-side crash within the opening 10 minutes.
The incident temporarily ended his session and raised concerns inside the garage, but the resilient Malaysian returned to the circuit during the final stages to salvage valuable track time.
Hakim eventually recorded a best lap of 1:56.854 to finish 21st overall, 1.042 seconds off the fastest rider.
Failing to finish inside the top 14 means Hakim must now go through the more challenging Q1 route in qualifying as he fights for a better grid position ahead of Sunday’s race.
While the crashes disrupted his preparations, the day still offered positive signs regarding his raw pace around one of Moto3’s most demanding circuits.
The focus for Hakim and the MT Helmets-MSi team will now shift towards improving consistency and avoiding mistakes as the Malaysian youngster looks to fight his way into Q2 and keep his hopes alive for a strong result at Mugello.
Credit Photo : ZK Racing
