Malaysian Moto3 sensation Hakim Danish delivered one of his strongest qualifying performances of the 2026 season after securing an impressive second-place grid position for the Italian Grand Prix at the iconic Mugello Circuit in Tuscany.
The achievement marks Hakim’s second front-row start of the campaign and further underlines the youngster’s growing reputation as one of the rising stars in the Moto3 World Championship.
After ending Friday’s Practice session in 21st position, Hakim was forced to begin Saturday’s qualifying through the highly competitive Q1 session. However, the Malaysian rider responded in emphatic fashion, steadily improving throughout the day to put himself firmly in contention for a podium challenge in Sunday’s race.
With his Practice result placing him outside the automatic Q2 qualification positions, Hakim entered Q1 knowing he would need to produce a near-perfect performance to keep his hopes alive.
Hakim’s day began in the FP2 session, where he focused on analysing data and identifying areas for improvement around the demanding 5.2km Mugello layout.
Despite still searching for the perfect setup, the Malaysian recorded a best lap of 1:56.012, finishing 17th and 0.960 seconds behind the session leader.
Displaying excellent pace and composure, Hakim clocked a best lap of 1:55.840 to finish second in Q1 and comfortably secure one of the transfer spots into the decisive Q2 session.
Confidence continued to build once Q2 got underway.
Hakim immediately established himself among the leading contenders and remained inside the top three throughout much of the session.
As the final minutes unfolded, the Malaysian produced another superb lap, stopping the clock at 1:54.880 to secure second position overall.
He finished just 0.018 seconds behind pole-sitter David Almansa, who claimed top spot for Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP with a fastest lap of 1:54.862.
The razor-thin margin highlighted just how competitive Hakim was throughout the session and reinforced his credentials as a genuine contender for a strong result on race day.
The Mugello performance marks Hakim’s second front-row appearance of the 2026 Moto3 campaign. His first came at the Brazilian Grand Prix, where he qualified third, and the latest result demonstrates the consistency and progress he has made throughout his rookie season.
Starting from Grid 2 places the Malaysian in an excellent position to challenge at one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar, where slipstream battles and late-race overtakes often determine the final outcome.
With strong pace shown across both qualifying sessions and a front-row starting position secured, expectations will be high for Hakim heading into Sunday’s race.
Credit Photo : ZK Racing
