Hakim Danish Ends Malaysia’s 10-Year Moto3 Podium Drought with Historic Mugello Finish

Hakim Danish battles back from practice crashes to secure maiden Moto3 World Championship podium at the Italian Grand Prix.

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Malaysian rising star Hakim Danish Ramli created a memorable moment for the nation after securing his maiden Moto3 World Championship podium with a stunning third-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello.

The AEON Credit-MT Helmets-MSi rider delivered a sensational performance in what proved to be one of the most dramatic weekends of his young career, overcoming adversity to stand on the podium for the first time on the world stage.

Hakim Danish’s weekend began on a challenging note after he suffered a high-side crash during practice, followed by another fall on Friday. The incidents forced the Terengganu-born rider to start his qualifying campaign through Q1, putting him under immediate pressure.

However, the Terengganu born rider responded brilliantly. He successfully advanced into Q2 before securing second place on the grid, showcasing both his speed and resilience. A further boost came before race day when Spanish rider David Almansa was declared unfit to race, promoting Hakim Danish to pole position.

When the lights went out at Mugello, Hakim Danish immediately established himself among the frontrunners, battling wheel-to-wheel with some of the world’s best Moto3 riders throughout the 17-lap contest.

The race featured the usual Moto3 intensity, with positions changing almost every lap. At one stage, Hakim Danish dropped as low as eighth place, but he remained calm and continued pushing forward as the race entered its closing stages.

On the final lap, he executed a series of decisive overtakes to move back into podium contention before crossing the finish line in third place behind Red Bull KTM Ajo teammates Brian Uriarte and Alvaro Carpe.

The result carries extra significance as it ends Malaysia’s decade-long wait for a Moto3 podium finish. The last Malaysian rider to stand on a Moto3 podium was Khairul Idham Pawi when he famously won the 2016 German Grand Prix in wet conditions.

The podium finish also earned Hakim Danish 16 valuable championship points, moving him up to 11th overall in the Moto3 World Championship standings with 43 points after seven rounds.

“Today I managed to finish the race in third place and secure a podium. This is my first podium in the Moto3 World Championship and I’m absolutely delighted with the result,” said Hakim Danish.

“I gave everything from the start until the finish line. I fought as hard as I could today with a mentality of never giving up. I stayed focused with one aim in mind — to fight for a podium finish — and thankfully I managed to achieve it.”

“It was a very intense race. The leading group kept changing positions and we were all pushing at the limit. Even though I dropped back slightly on the final lap, I stayed calm and looked for opportunities. Thankfully, that strategy paid off.”

“This wasn’t an easy weekend for me. I crashed twice on Friday, but I managed to bounce back. To finish third and stand on the podium today is something very special. I hope this is the beginning of many more good results.”

“I would also like to thank my family, my team and everyone who has supported me throughout this journey.”

The achievement was also praised by his management team, who highlighted the determination shown by Hakim Danish after his difficult start to the weekend.

Despite suffering heavy crashes during practice, the young rider refused to be discouraged and instead delivered the strongest performance of his Moto3 career so far.

The podium not only rewards years of sacrifice and hard work but also further strengthens Hakim Danish’s reputation as one of Malaysia’s brightest motorcycle racing prospects.

With confidence now at an all-time high and a maiden podium finally secured, the Malaysian teenager will head into the next rounds of the Moto3 World Championship aiming to build on this breakthrough result and establish himself as a regular contender at the front of the field.