Born in Malmö, Sweden, Malja began his karting career in Formula Micro in 2006, winning the Gunnar Nilsson Memorial trophy the following year.[2] By 2009 he had progressed up to the KF3 category, where he won the Swedish Championship and Gothenburg Grand Prix.[3] In his final year of karting in 2010, Malja finished 22nd in the European KF3 Championship and fifth in the Junior Monaco Kart Cup.[4]
ADAC Formel Masters
In 2011, Malja graduated to single-seaters, racing in the ADAC Formel Masters championship in Germany, despite being just 15 years of age.[5] Driving for Neuhauser Racing, he took a single podium position at Assen to finish thirteenth in the standings.[6] He continued with the team for a second season in 2012, taking three race wins and a further thirteen podium places to finish runner–up to champion Marvin Kirchhöfer.[7]
Formula Renault 2.0
For 2013, Malja stepped up to Formula Renault, racing in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 2.0 NEC championships with Josef Kaufmann Racing.[8] In the NEC championship, he contested eight races, taking podium places at the Nürburgring and Most to finish fifteenth in the standings.[9] In the Eurocup he finished twentieth in the championship, taking a single points–position at Paul Ricard.[10]
Malja remained with Josef Kaufmann Racing in both championships for a second season in 2014.[11] He finished fifth in the NEC championship, taking race victories at Hockenheim[12] and the Nürburgring[13] and two further podium positions.[14] In the Eurocup, he scored points on eight occasions to finish twelfth in the championship.[15]
In May 2015, Malja took part in the Pau round of the FIA European Formula 3 Championship, racing for EuroInternational in the car originally intended for Marvin Kirchhöfer before he left the team prior to the start of the season.[17] He retired from the opening race of the event before finishing 25th in the remaining two races.
GP2/Formula 2
Malja contested in the Spa round of the 2015 season with Trident and the final two rounds with Rapax. In 2016, Malja joined the GP2 series campaign full-time for Rapax, finished on the podium twice and finished thirteenth overall.
Malja participated in the second 2017 Formula 1 in-season test at the Hungaroring during 1–2 August, following the Hungarian GP weekend. Malja drove a Sauber C36-Ferrari for the Sauber F1 Team during the first test day. He completed 108 laps. His best lap was 1.21.503, set during aerodynamic and mechanical development runs.[19]
