AustralianGP: Hakim Danish Saves Best for Last but Falls Short in Q1
The Malaysian rookie found six tenths on his Friday pace, but ninth in Q1 wasn't enough as Rookie of the Year rival Veda Ega Pratama came through the same session to snatch pole.
Malaysian rising star Hakim Danish (AEON Credit - MT Helmets - MSi) produced his fastest lap of the weekend in Q1 of the Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia at Phillip Island on Saturday, 24 October 2026. However, his 1'37.169 left him ninth in the session and 0.786s short of a Q2 spot.
The 19-year-old's Saturday began on a soaking track in Free Practice 2 (FP2), held with an air temperature of 15°C, a track temperature of 18°C and 91% humidity. Hakim built up his speed lap by lap, cutting his times from 1'54.005 on his first flying lap to a best of 1'47.316 on lap eight of 16. That placed him 24th, 4.439s behind newly crowned Moto3 world champion Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team). Quiles topped the session with a 1'42.877, ahead of Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP). Teammate Ryusei Yamanaka was 23rd, just 0.162s ahead of the Malaysian.
By the time Q1 got underway, the track had dried completely, with the air at 16°C and the track at 24°C. Hakim had missed out on a direct Q2 place after a crash in Friday's Practice. Over a nine-lap run, he kept bringing his times down, dipping into the 1'37s on lap five before saving his best for the final lap. His 1'37.169 was 0.605s quicker than his Friday Practice best but still 0.908s off Q1 topper Guido Pini (Leopard Racing).
The midfield fight could hardly have been closer. Hakim was just 0.069s behind Honda Team Asia's Zen Mitani in eighth, while Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) trailed him by 0.074s in tenth. At the sharp end, Pini, Casey O'Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Eddie O'Shea (GRYD Racing) and Veda Ega Pratama (Honda Team Asia) grabbed the four tickets to Q2, with only 0.122s covering the quartet.
Pratama then made the most of his second chance. The Indonesian, one of Hakim's rivals for Rookie of the Year, stormed to his first Moto3 pole with a last-gasp 1'35.299. He finished 0.021s ahead of Quiles, with home hero Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing) third, and became the first Indonesian rider to take a Moto3 pole.
Ninth in Q1 leaves Hakim set to start from 23rd on the grid in Phillip Island's final MotoGP weekend before the Australian GP moves to Adelaide in 2027. The Czech Republic GP winner sits ninth in the Moto3 standings and is chasing a top-five finish overall this season. He now faces a fight through the field when the race gets underway at 11:00am local time (8:00am Malaysian time) on Sunday, 25 October 2026.
Credit Photo : ZK Racing
