MalaysianGP: Hakim Danish Missed Podium in Home on last corner

Hakim Danish (AEON Credit - MT Helmets - MSi) came agonisingly close to a home podium at the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia on Sunday, 1 November 2026.

The 19-year-old started from the front row at the Petronas Sepang International Circuit and ran as high as second. He was still fighting for a top-three finish in the final corners of the 15-lap race. He crossed the line fourth, 4.410s behind winner Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) and just 0.226s behind Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in third. Veda Ega Pratama (Honda Team Asia) finished second. It wasn't quite the result the home crowd had dreamed of, but the New Straits Times called it Malaysia's best Moto3 finish at Sepang in years.

Expectations were sky-high going into Sunday. Hakim had qualified third on Saturday with a 2'10.529, just 0.133s off Quiles' pole time and 0.049s behind Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in second. Spanish news agency EFE named him as one of the toughest rivals in the race, with the Terengganu-born rider trying to become the first Malaysian to win at home. Even Quiles said he was wary of him. Before the weekend, Sepang International Circuit chief executive Azhan Shafriman Hanif said everyone hoped Hakim would reach at least the podium, but he also urged the youngster not to put too much pressure on himself. Hakim knew there was still work to do. "I think sectors one and three still need a little improvement," he said after qualifying, adding that he'd try to find more time in those parts of the track in the race.

The race was held in dry, hot conditions, very similar to Saturday's Q2. Hakim's start didn't go to plan, as Carpe got past him off the line. Even so, he was soon in a four-rider group at the front with Quiles, Carpe and David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), who started fourth and led the early laps. Quiles quickly passed Carpe and Hakim, and the four opened a gap of more than half a second to the chasing pack. The pace was relentless. Carpe set a new lap record of 2'10.967 on lap 3, and it stood as the fastest lap of the race.

The battle at the front was so fierce that it started to work against the leaders. Hakim, Quiles and Carpe fought tooth and nail, which let the riders behind close back in. Pratama, who had started eighth, led the charge. Hakim and Pratama then both got past Carpe to run second and third, to the delight of the home fans, and Hakim then passed the Indonesian for second. However, all the overtaking played into Quiles' hands. The champion pulled away, and by lap 10 he was 1.5s clear of a four-way fight for second between Pratama, Hakim, Almansa and Carpe. Marca reported that Quiles was racing with the flu, but nobody could catch him.

It all came down to the final lap. Carpe moved into second at Turn 1, but Pratama passed him at Turn 4. At the next corner, Hakim forced Almansa wide, ending the Spaniard's podium hopes, and then got past Carpe as well. However, Carpe hit back at Turn 14, the corner before the long back straight, and Hakim couldn't get back past before the flag. Pratama took second, 3.734s behind Quiles, with Carpe third. Hakim was fourth, 0.226s behind Carpe and 0.676s behind Pratama. Almansa was fifth, 0.504s further back. Only 1.180s covered second to fifth, and the group finished almost 4.5s clear of Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP - MTA) in sixth.

Quiles celebrated his first win since being crowned champion. It was his 11th of the season, and Marca pointed out that this equals the number of wins Valentino Rossi took in his 1997 125cc title season. Quiles now has 376 points, 148 more than Almansa. Uriarte, who started alongside Hakim on the front row, finished ninth. Hakim's teammate Ryusei Yamanaka moved up from 15th on the grid to finish 11th, 14.640s behind the winner, which gave the team a double points finish. Five riders didn't finish, including Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP - MTA), who started sixth, and Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who was second in Friday's Practice.

Sunday capped a weekend of remarkable consistency for Hakim. He was fifth in FP1 and fourth in Friday's Practice, which sent him straight into Q2. He was then sixth in FP2 on Saturday morning with a 2'11.426, third in Q2 and fourth in the race. No other rider finished in the top six in every session at Sepang. It was also a big step forward from his wildcard outing here last year. On that occasion, he went straight into Q2, started 12th and set the fastest lap of the race, but a technical problem with five laps to go ended his hopes of a top-10 finish. Sunday was also a strong response to Phillip Island a week earlier, where he was set to start 25th before bad weather wiped out the races.

The 13 points for fourth take Hakim to 116 points. He arrived at Sepang ninth in the standings with 103. Pratama, a fellow rookie who took his first Moto3 pole at Phillip Island, gained seven points on him with second place. Three rounds remain, starting in Qatar next weekend.

Fourth place will sting, especially after coming so close in front of his own fans. But Hakim leaves Sepang having shown he can run with the champion and the best riders in Moto3 over a full race distance, not just over a single lap. He'll take that confidence to Qatar next weekend and aim to turn this kind of speed into another podium.

Credit Photo : MSi Racing