Malaysia’s wildcard sensation Hakim Danish Ramli has made a remarkable impression on the world stage after earning automatic qualification for Q2 at the Malaysian GP Moto3 following a strong showing in Friday’s practice sessions at the Sepang International Circuit, Sepang.
Riding for AEON Credit SIC Racing MSI, the 18-year-old clocked an impressive lap time of 2 minutes 11.820 seconds, placing him 11th fastest overall — just 0.668 seconds behind the quickest rider, Jose Antonio Rueda of Red Bull KTM Ajo, who topped the charts with 2:11.152s.
Rueda’s teammate, Alvaro Carpe, recorded the second-fastest lap, while Brian Uriarte, the 2025 Red Bull Rookies Cup Champion and a familiar rival of Hakim’s, rounded out the top three.
Earlier in the day, Hakim had already shown his pace by finishing eighth fastest in the morning session with a 2:11.317s, maintaining a consistent upward trajectory ahead of the crucial qualifying rounds tomorrow.
“I didn’t expect to get a result like this,” Hakim admitted after the session. “Every lap, every session, I just focus on doing my best and staying in the best possible position.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s Q2 session, the young Malaysian said his goal is to improve his time and secure a strong starting position for the race.
“For Q2 tomorrow, I’ll try to improve my lap time to get the best possible grid position — it’ll make things easier during the race. I don’t have a specific target; it really depends on how qualifying goes,” he explained.
Hakim also expressed his excitement about once again going head-to-head with Brian Uriarte, a familiar competitor from his Red Bull Rookies Cup and JuniorGP days.
“I’ve raced against Brian many times before, and it’s always competitive. I’ll try to keep improving my riding style so I can stay close to him,” Hakim added.
Uriarte, who is replacing David Munoz in the LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP team, is making just his second Moto3 World Championship appearance, following his debut at the Australian Grand Prix last week where he finished 19th.
Credit Photo : ZK Racing
