Japanese GP: Hakim Danish Climbs Nine Places to P12 in Motegi

Hakim Danish turned a lowly 21st on the grid into a solid 12th-place finish at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan 2026 at Mobility Resort Motegi, Tochigi. A steady, incident-free recovery drive that salvaged real points from a weekend that had looked considerably tougher after Saturday's crash and Q1 setback.

There was no single dramatic move that defined Danish's afternoon — just lap after lap of consistent pace that gradually ate into the deficit built up from his back-of-the-midfield start. His lap times barely wavered all race, sitting in the 1'55.9-to-1'56.6 range from start to finish, with his best lap — a 1'55.962 — coming as late as lap 15. That steadiness was enough to move him from 21st on the grid to 12th at the flag, a gain of nine positions over the 17-lap, and it earned him four championship points.

He crossed the line 21.273 seconds behind race winner David Almansa, who had his hands full at the front: Almansa held off Maximo Quiles by just 0.046 seconds in one of the tightest finishes of the season, with Alvaro Carpe completing the podium 2.738 seconds back.

The one place Danish came up short on Sunday was in the battle within his own garage. AEON Credit - MT Helmets - MSI teammate Ryusei Yamanaka had the stronger race, finishing eighth and 8.107 seconds up the road, worth eight points to Danish's four. It's a reversal from recent rounds, where Danish had generally had the better of the pair on race day — a reminder that Saturday's lost track time in FP2 and the subsequent Q1 scramble left him working from a tougher starting position than his teammate all weekend.

The four points move Danish to 105 in the world championship, seventh overall

Credit Photo : ZK Racing