Moto3 once again proved that rules, grid penalties and starting positions are sometimes just polite suggestions. After a weekend full of steward decisions and slow-sector penalties, Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) looked at a 12-place grid penalty and decided to treat it more like a minor inconvenience than an actual punishment.
Starting from 14th on the grid, the Malaysian rookie carved his way through the field to claim his maiden Moto3 victory and become the first Malaysian rider to win in the class since Khairul Idham Pawi back at Sachsenring in 2016. He is also the first Malaysian rider to win in the dry.
Before the race even began, several riders had been handed penalties after slow sectors in qualifying exceeded 135% of the session benchmark. Danish, Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia), Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) all received 12-place grid penalties after repeat offences, while Eddie O’Shea (GRYD Racing), David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Joel Kelso (GRYD Racing) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) escaped with warnings. Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse) also collected a Long Lap Penalty for dangerous slow riding after interfering with Cormac Buchanan during Free Practice 2. Casual Moto3 weekend things.
When the lights went out, polesitter David Almansa looked to have nailed the launch, but Championship leader Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) had other ideas and stole the holeshot immediately. By the end of the opening lap, it already looked like the front group had no intention of waiting around for the rest of the field. Quiles, Almansa and Red Bull KTM Ajo teammates Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte quickly pulled clear, but there was one rapidly approaching problem in the mirrors. Danish had gone from 14th to fifth by Lap 2 and clearly hadn’t read the memo saying penalties are supposed to make life difficult.
He wasn’t arriving alone either. Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) had followed him through and suddenly a four-rider battle had become six, before Veda Pratama decided he wanted in too. Starting from 20th after his own grid penalty, Pratama quietly appeared in the front group by Lap 5 like he’d simply teleported there. Seven riders at the front, multiple lead changes and everyone swapping places every few corners — Moto3 was doing Moto3 things.
Almansa briefly reclaimed the lead at Turn 1 on Lap 6, but it didn’t last long. O’Gorman’s race ended with a crash at Turn 9, reducing the front battle back down by one. The lead continued changing hands almost every lap. Uriarte moved to the front before Quiles took over again, while Carpe got aggressive with Almansa at Turn 4 and ran him wide, briefly splitting the pack apart.As the race entered the final laps, nobody looked safe. Almansa was attacking, Quiles was defending like his life depended on it, and Carpe eventually made a mistake that allowed Quiles, Uriarte and Danish to break away slightly.
Then came the final lap.
Because of course Moto3 wasn’t going to make things simple.
Contact between Quiles and Uriarte at Turn 8 opened the door, and Danish immediately threw himself through the gap. Suddenly the rider who started 14th was leading when it mattered most. Five riders went charging towards the final sector looking like they had collectively forgotten braking markers existed. Into the final corner it was practically elbows and fairings everywhere, but nobody was getting close enough to stop Danish.
From a 12-place grid penalty to standing on the top step, the Malaysian rookie delivered an absolute masterclass.
Uriarte won the fight for second place ahead of Championship leader Quiles, while Almansa somehow slipped from second to fourth in the final corners despite looking set for another podium. Pratama completed another of the comeback rides of the afternoon in fifth after starting 20th, while Carpe crossed the line sixth after losing ground in the closing laps.
Further back, Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) produced an excellent recovery ride from 17th on the grid to seventh, while Joel Kelso secured his best finish of the 2026 season in eighth for GRYD Racing. Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) collected his second top-ten finish of the year in ninth, with Perrone rounding out the top ten.
Just outside the top ten, Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) finished 11th ahead of Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power), Marcos Uriarte (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI), who completed the points-paying positions.
Elsewhere, it wasn’t the easiest afternoon for everyone. Eddie O’Shea and Rico Salmela crashed out on the final lap, while Nicola Carraro, Rammerstorfer, O’Gorman and Joel Esteban also failed to make it to the chequered flag.
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