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Deniz Öncü (born 26 July 2003) is a Turkish motorcycle racer, currently competing in the Moto2 World Championship, for team Red Bull KTM Ajo. His twin brother, Can, is also a motorcycle racer. Both brothers are mentored by Turkish multi-world champion motorcycle racer, Kenan Sofuoğlu.

Career

Early career

Deniz, and his twin brother Can, competed in the Asia Talent Cup in 2016, Deniz finishing in 10th, and Can in 9th. They would compete again in 2017, Deniz becoming champion, and Can finishing 3rd. They both entered the 2017 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, Deniz finishing 4th, and Can in 3rd. Just like with the Asia Talent Cup, they would try again in 2018, Deniz finishing as runner-up this time, behind his brother Can who was crowned champion.

For 2018, as well as competing in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, both Can and Deniz joined Ajo Motorsport, and raced in the 2018 FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship, Deniz finishing in 14th, and Can finishing in 7th with three podiums.

Moto3 World Championship

Red Bull KTM Ajo (2019)

In 2019, Deniz made two wildcard race appearances with Red Bull KTM Ajo after reaching the minimum age of 16 for the world championship class, finishing 18th in Germany, and 17th in the Czech Republic. Can had been permitted to race from the start of the season, despite being below the minimum age of 16, as he received a special dispensation by Dorna after winning the 2018 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, and the 2018 Valencian Grand Prix as a wildcard. Deniz replaced Can for a further three rounds, after Can suffered an injury at the Misano round, finishing in 16th, 24th, and 19th.

Red Bull KTM Tech3 (2020–2022)

For 2020, Deniz Öncü made his full season debut with Red Bull KTM Tech3. He achieved nine point scoring finishes, 50 points total, a season's best result being a 6th place in Valencia, and finished 17th in the riders' championship.

Öncü continued with Tech3 for the 2021 season, and he achieved his first Moto3 podium with a 3rd place finish in Barcelona, followed by two 2nd places in Austria and Aragon. He also scored his first Pole Position in Austria, but had to start from the back of the grid, because his Tech3 team elected to switch him to slick tyres, and finished just seconds after the three-minute board was shown. After the race in Austin, he was given a two race ban, after being deemed to have caused a massive incident involving clipping Jeremy Alcoba's front wheel, who went tumbling across the track, his bike being struck by Andrea Migno and Pedro Acosta, who both went airborne. Luckily all riders involved miraculously walked away from the incident unscathed, and Öncü was replaced by Daniel Holgado for the two race ban. Deniz finished the season with three podiums, 11th in the championship standings, and 95 points.

Return to Red Bull KTM Ajo (2023)

He competes for Red Bull KTM Ajo with teammate José Antonio Rueda in the 2023 season, and he won his first race in the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring.

Moto2 World Championship

Red Bull KTM Ajo (2024-)

Red Bull KTM Ajo has announced the 2024 Moto2 rider line-up by promoting Oncu from Moto3 to be paired with Celestino Vietti.

Career statistics

Asia Talent Cup

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

By class

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

* Season still in progress.

References

1. "Deniz Öncü". Red Bull.
2. Kayayerli, Damla (December 18, 2017). "Twin brothers pushing limits of motor sports". Daily Sabah.
3. "IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP". IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
4. "IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP". IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
5. Cup, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies. "Results | Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup". Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
6. "Can Öncü wins the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup". 19 November 2018.
7. "New Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 project for 2018 – Ajo Motorsport". ajo.fi. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
8. Sports, Dorna. "Can Öncü wins the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup". www.motogp.com.
9. "Blog | Can Öncü the youngest ever Grand Prix winner". Red Bull.
10. "Styrian Moto3: Acosta wins in wet as Garcia crashes on last lap". www.autosport.com.
11. "Austin Moto3: Guevara declared winner as huge crash ends race early". www.motorsport.com.
12. "Acosta to MotoGP™ edges closer as Red Bull KTM Ajo sign Öncü & Vietti". Dorna Sports. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.

External links

• Deniz Öncü at MotoGP.com
• Deniz Öncü at AS.com (in Spanish)

v t e Red Bull KTM Ajo
Moto2	Celestino Vietti (13) Deniz Öncü (53)
Moto3	Xabi Zurutuza (85) José Antonio Rueda (99)
Grand Prix motorcycles	Kalex Moto2 (Moto2) KTM RC250GP (Moto3)

• Living people
• 2003 births
• People from Alanya
• Sportspeople from Antalya
• 21st-century Turkish sportsmen
• Turkish motorcycle racers
• Moto3 World Championship riders
• Turkish people of Norwegian descent
• Moto2 World Championship riders