Lack of mental strength and tactical maturity behind Danish's Mandalika woes, says Zulfahmi

KUALA LUMPUR: Zulfahmi Khairuddin has pointed out that Hakim Danish Ramli's issues stem from a lack of tactical maturity and mental fortitude following a challenging performance at the Grand Prix of Indonesia. The Moto3 rookie faced two penalties throughout the weekend, including a back of the grid penalty for slow riding during qualifying one and a three-second penalty for an incident with GRYD Racing's Joel Kelso.

Despite starting from last place, Danish managed to climb to a top-10 finish in the race but was ultimately demoted to 14th due to the penalties. Zulfahmi noted that Danish has been inconsistent since the summer break, which has caused him to struggle with both tactical maturity and emotional management. The race in Mandalika highlighted two crucial aspects of a rookie rider's development: Danish's pace, as demonstrated by his ability to move from 26th on the grid to the top 10, and his need for improved tactical maturity and emotional resilience.

High expectations following his strong results earlier in the season have added psychological pressure to Danish's situation. In the world of motorsport, a difference of just one-tenth of a second can be the difference between success and failure, requiring a high level of mental resilience. Zulfahmi has been mentoring Danish since 2020 through his Sepang International Circuit-affiliated team, ZK Racing.

Danish did achieve third place at Mugello and secured his first Grand Prix win at Brno in June, but his form has declined since the summer break.