It was a baptism of fire for Malaysia’s rising star! Hakim Danish faced the brutal reality of Moto3 racing as the 2026 PT Grand Prix of Thailand kicked off the season in scorching fashion.
Despite a heroic effort at the Chang International Circuit, the AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSi rookie finished just outside the points in a high-octane season opener.
Starting from Grid 15 following his qualifying heroics, Hakim was thrown straight into the “Buriram Meatgrinder,” fighting tooth and nail in a pack that refused to give an inch.
When the lights went out, Hakim held his nerve, launching well to sit in P16 through the opening corners. However, the frantic nature of the Moto3 slipstream train proved unforgiving.
As the pack bunched up through the tight hairpins of Sectors 1 and 2, Hakim found himself shuffled back to P19.
Refusing to back down, the Malaysian youngster put his head behind the screen, consistently shadowing the P15 spot—the “Golden Gate” to his first-ever World Championship point.
In a race won by Spain’s David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) with a clinical time of 32:14.186, the pace at the front was relentless.
Hakim pushed his KTM to the limit, crossing the line in P18, just 25.810 seconds adrift of the winner. While the result means he leaves Buriram empty-handed in terms of points, the data gathered and the experience of finishing a full-distance GP race are invaluable for the long season ahead.
MOTO3 THAI GP: RACE RESULTS
| Position | Rider | Team | Time/Gap |
| 1st | David Almansa | Intact GP | 32:14.186 |
| 2nd | Maximo Quiles | CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team | +0.003 |
| 3rd | Valentín Perrone | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | +9.480 |
| 4th | Alvaro Carpe | Red Bull KTM Ajo | +9.573 |
| 5th | Veda Pratama | Honda Team Asia | +9.687 |
| 18th | Hakim Danish | MT Helmets – MSi | +25.810 |
P18 on your full-season debut is nothing to scoff at. Hakim Danish showed he has the pace to qualify in the Top 15 and the stamina to fight in the mid-pack. In a category where races are often decided by slipstreams, the Malaysian Tiger proved he belongs on the world stage.
Credit Photo : GP Thailand Family
