Veda Ega Pratama secured his career-best Grand Prix result by finishing second in the Moto3 Malaysia 2026 race at Sepang International Circuit, moving up to seventh in the championship standings with 131 points.

Veda Ega Pratama Secures Runner-Up Finish at Sepang International Circuit

Riding for Honda Team Asia, Veda Ega Pratama finished 3.734 seconds behind race winner Maximo Quiles during the Moto3 Malaysia 2026 event on November 1, 2026. Starting from the eighth position on the grid, the 17-year-old rider methodically worked his way through the field at Sepang International Circuit to join the front group alongside Quiles, Alvaro Carpe, Hakim Danish, and David Almansa.

The 20-point haul from his second-place finish lifted Veda from eighth to seventh in the Moto3 rider standings with 131 points, surpassing Valentin Perrone. This performance marks Veda’s second podium of the 2026 season, following his third-place finish at Moto3 Brasil earlier in the year.

Grasshopper Snack Selebrasi Sparks Surprise on the Podium

Following the race, Veda celebrated his runner-up finish in the parc ferme by opening a transparent plastic container and offering a traditional Gunungkidul snack known as walang goreng, or fried grasshoppers, to race winner Maximo Quiles. The Spanish rider expressed surprise and declined the snack with a laugh while Veda proceeded to eat one himself.

Veda 🇮🇩 nawarin belalang goreng khas Gunung Kidul ke Quiles.. 🤣🤣#Moto3 #MotoGP #MalaysianGP pic.twitter.com/phOLKgtOpR

— https://x.com/bbasiyo/status/2116770862607315008

Walang goreng is a popular traditional delicacy and souvenir from Veda’s birthplace of Wonosari in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta. The snack is prepared by removing the wings and legs of field grasshoppers before frying them until crispy. While often enjoyed plain for its natural savory flavor, variations are frequently seasoned with garlic, salt, coriander, or prepared in sweet and spicy styles.

Geographical Factors and Halal Status of Gunungkidul Delicacy

The local popularity of insect-based snacks in Gunungkidul stems largely from the region’s geography, where expansive agricultural land and numerous trees provide an ideal natural habitat for grasshoppers. Islamic dietary guidelines permit the consumption of grasshoppers. Halal Corner noted that grasshoppers fall under the category of insects permitted as dead carcasses allowable for consumption, citing traditional hadith collections including those recorded by Ahmad, Ibnu Majah, Ad-Daru Quthni, and At-Tirmidzi.

Moto3 Championship Standings After Sepang

Maximo Quiles extended his lead at the top of the Moto3 standings to 376 points following his victory in Malaysia, riding for the CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team. David Almansa holds second place in the championship with 228 points, followed by Brian Uriarte and Alvaro Carpe tied at 205 points each.

Adrian Fernandez occupies fifth place with 157 points, while Marco Morelli sits sixth with 140 points. Veda Ega Pratama follows closely in seventh position with 131 points, establishing a solid foothold among the top competitors in the world championship standings as the season progresses.

Additional World Championship Standings and Riders

Rounding out the Moto3 standings behind Valentin Perrone with 121 points are Hakim Danish in ninth with 116 points, Matteo Bertelle in tenth with 103 points, and R. R. Salmela with 89 points, Guido Pini with 81 points, Adrian Cruces with 80 points, and Joel Esteban with 78 points. Meanwhile, the Moto2 championship battle intensified as Manuel Gonzalez maintained the top spot with 276.5 points after finishing fifth, holding a narrow 3.5-point margin over Izan Guevara, who collected 273 points in fourth place.