Malaysia’s rising star, Hakim Danish, it was a day of pushing to the limit, ultimately surviving a fiercely competitive field to secure a direct ticket to Saturday’s pivotal Q2 session in the Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon 2026 at Motorland Aragon, Alcañiz.
The morning Free Practice 1 (FP1) session laid the groundwork for the weekend. Riding the AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSi machine, Danish completed a grueling 14 laps around the 5077 m circuit. Taking a methodical approach, Danish steadily chipped away at his times.
His breakthrough came late in the session on his 13th lap, where he clocked a formidable 1:59.489. This crucial lap rocketed the Malaysian rider into 11th place on the FP1 leaderboard, safely positioning him within the provisional Q2 cutoff. He showcased excellent top-end pace as well, hitting a peak speed of 241.8 during his 9th and 12th laps.
The benchmark in the morning was set by Liqui Moly Dynavolt Int’s David Almansa. The Spaniard topped the charts with a blistering 1:58.708 on his 15th and final lap of the session.
As the afternoon Practice (PR) session got underway, track temperatures soared, and the battle for the top 14 direct Q2 spots reached a boiling point with 1:58.362. The field significantly upped the pace, drastically lowering the morning benchmarks.
Once again, David Almansa proved to be the rider to beat. Almansa laid down an untouchable 1:57.473 on Lap 11 to claim the 1st spot. Meanwhile, Leopard Racing’s Adrian Fernandez also threw his hat in the ring, securing 4th position with a strong 1:58.581 set early on his 3rd lap.
For Danish, the afternoon turned into a tense survival thriller. As rivals improved their times, the Malaysian rider found himself pushed down the order, hovering dangerously on the Q2 bubble.
However, true to the tenacity he has shown all season, Danish held his nerve through the closing moments of the session. He survived the late onslaught from the pack, clinging to the final direct Q2 transfer spots and avoiding the grueling Q1 lottery.
Credit Photo : ZK Racing
