The “Tiger” is hungry for more. Despite a spirited full-season debut at the 2026 PT Grand Prix of Thailand, Malaysia’s Hakim Danish admits he is still searching for the “perfect flow” after finishing P18 at the Chang International Circuit.
In a candid post-race reflection, the AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSi rider didn’t sugarcoat the challenges of stepping up to the world stage full-time. While his race craft was visible, the sheer pace of the front-runners proved to be a mountain too high to climb in Round 1.
Starting from 15th, Hakim found himself in the thick of a relentless Moto3 pack. While he stayed within striking distance of the points, the gap to the leaders—won by David Almansa—eventually stretched to over 25 seconds.
“I finished 18th and this is not the result I wanted,” Hakim said in a video provided by ZK Racing. “I tried to follow the front group but they were very fast. I need to keep improving. I am still looking for the right flow with this machine.”
Hakim’s difficult weekend wasn’t just down to the race pace. The 18-year-old revealed that his technical team is still working through a “work in progress” setup following a disrupted pre-season.
With the first race under his belt, Hakim is already identifying the “weak links” he needs to fix before the paddock moves to South America.
A rain-hampered test in Portimao and a heavy crash at Jerez—where he famously hit an air fence—limited his crucial development time heading into Thailand.
The next stop is the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna. Since the circuit is new to nearly every rider on the 2026 grid, Hakim sees this as the perfect opportunity to close the gap.
“The circuit is new to all riders… I hope the reset will allow me to close the gap,” he concluded.
Credit Photo : GP Thailand Family
