Can Öncü Explained

Can Öncü
Nationality:Turkish
Birth Date:26 July 2003
Birth Place:Alanya, Turkey
Current Team:Kawasaki Pucetti Racing
Bike Number:61
Website:Öncü Twins
Moto3 Active Years:
Moto3 Championships:0
Moto3 Manufacturers:KTM
Moto3 Race Starts:17
Moto3 Race Wins:1
Moto3 Podiums:1
Moto3 Poles:0
Moto3 Fastest Laps:1
Moto3 Total Points:33
Moto3 Last Season:2019
Moto3 Last Position:31st (8 pts)
Ss Active Years:
Ss Manufacturers:Kawasaki
Ss Championships:0
Ss Race Starts:90
Ss Race Wins:1
Ss Podiums:14
Ss Poles:0
Ss Fastest Laps:4
Ss Total Points:652
Ss Last Season:2023
Ss Last Position:13th (89 pts)

Can Alexander Öncü (born 26 July 2003) is a Turkish motorcycle racer. After spending the 2019 season in Moto3, for 2020 and 2021, he raced in the World Supersport with Turkish Racing Team, a new venture headed by Turkish former racer Kenan Sofuoğlu and supported by Pucetti Kawasaki and Orelac Racing,[1] [2] [3] Öncü continued, making 2024 his fifth year with the same team.[4]

After a change in regulations during 2018,[5] he became the youngest Grand Prix motorcycle racing winner when he won the 2018 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix aged 15 years, 115 days,[6] [7] and the first Turkish winner of a GP motorcycle road race.[8]

In late 2018, he was included into the provisional entry list for the 2019 Moto3 season with the Red Bull KTM Ajo team, despite being younger than the usual minimum age requirement of 16.[9] [5]

His twin brother, Deniz Öncü, is also a motorcycle racer. Both brothers are mentored by Turkish multi-world champion motorcycle racer, Kenan Sofuoğlu.[10]

Career

Early career

Can and his twin brother, Deniz, competed in the Asia Talent Cup[11] in 2016 (Can 9th, Deniz 10th)[12] and 2017 (Can 3rd, Deniz 1st).[13] Both entered the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2017 (Can 3rd, Deniz 4th)[14] and Can became the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup champion in 2018, while Deniz finished in second place.[15]

For 2018, as well as competing in the Rookies Cup, both Can and Deniz joined Ajo Motorsport[16] and also raced in the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship. Later that year, Can became the first rider to win on his Grand Prix debut since Noboru Ueda in 1991. He also broke the record, held for ten years by previous youngest Grand Prix race winner Scott Redding, at age 15 years, 115 days at the Valencian GP, when he was entered as a wildcard rider. Öncü benefited from a 2018 change to the FIM regulations,[17] that added the current Red Bull Rookies Cup Champion to an exemption already given to the FIM Junior World Championship winner allowing them to compete in Moto3, a series normally requiring an adult licence, at a minimum age of 15 years rather than the usual 16 years.[18]

Moto3 World Championship

For 2019, Öncü made his full-season debut with Red Bull KTM Ajo. Despite his early promise shown as Red Bull Rookies champion and winning on his debut wildcard entry, Öncü struggled in the class, scoring only three points finishes from 16 contested races and finishing with 8 points in 31st position of the riders' championship. Öncü was dropped from the Ajo team at the end of the season.

Supersport World Championship

For 2020, Öncü joined the Turkish Racing Team with Kawasaki in the Supersport World Championship.[19] He achieved regular points finishes to complete the season in 12th place of the championship. He continued with the team for 2021, finishing regularly in the top 10 and taking his first podium at the French round.

Career statistics

Asia Talent Cup

Races by year

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

YearBike123456789101112PosPts
2016HondaTHA1
THA2
QAT1
QAT2
MAL1
MAL2
CHN1
CHN2
JPN1
JPN2
SEP1
SEP2
9th75
2017HondaTHA1
THA2
QAT1
QAT2
SUZ1
SUZ2
MAL1
MAL2
JPN1
JPN2
SEP1
SEP2
3rd147

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)

Year12345678910111213PosPts
2017JER1
JER2
ASS1
ASS2
SAC1
SAC2
BRN1
BRN2
RBR1
RBR2
MIS
ARA1
ARA2
3rd165
2018JER1
JER2
MUG
ASS1
ASS2
SAC1
SAC2
RBR1
RBR2
MIS
ARA1
ARA2
1st235

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

SeasonClassMotorcycleTeamRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPtsPlcd
2018Moto3KTMRed Bull KTM Ajo111002524th
2019Moto3KTMRed Bull KTM Ajo160001831st
Total17110133

By class

ClassSeasons1st GP1st Pod1st WinRaceWinPodiumsPoleFLapPtsWChmp
Moto32018–20192018 Valencia2018 Valencia2018 Valencia171101330
Total2018–2019171101330

Races by year

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

YearClassBike12345678910111213141516171819PosPts
2018Moto3KTMQATARGAMESPAFRAITACATNEDGERCZEAUTGBRRSMARATHAJPNAUSMALVAL
24th25
2019Moto3KTMQAT
ARG
AME
SPA
FRA
ITA
CAT
NED
GER
CZE
AUT
GBR
RSM
ARATHAJPN
AUS
MAL
VAL
31st8

Supersport World Championship

Races by year

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

YearBike123456789101112131415161718192021222324PosPts
2020KawasakiAUS
SPA
SPA
POR
POR
SPA
SPA
SPA
SPA
SPA
SPA
FRA
FRA
POR
POR
12th65
2021KawasakiSPA
SPA
POR
POR
ITA
ITA
NED
NED
CZE
CZE
SPA
SPA
FRA
FRA
SPA
SPA
SPA
SPA
POR
POR
ARG
ARG
INA
INA
6th182
2022KawasakiSPA
SPA
NED
NED
POR
POR
ITA
ITA
GBR
GBR
CZE
CZE
FRA
FRA
SPA
SPA
POR
POR
ARG
ARG
INA
INA
AUS
AUS
3rd264
2023KawasakiAUS
AUS
INA
INA
NED
NED
SPA
SPA
ITA
ITA
GBR
GBR
ITA
ITA
CZE
CZE
FRA
FRA
SPA
SPA
POR
POR
SPA
SPA
13th89
2024KawasakiAUS
AUS
SPA
SPA
NED
NED
ITA
ITA
GBR
GBR
CZE
CZE
POR
POR
13th52
Season still in progress.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/2020/Can+nc+joins+WorldSSP+grid+with+allnew+Turkish+Racing+Team At just 16 years old, Can Öncü will move across to the WorldSBK paddock and look to fly the Turkish flag high in World Supersport once again
  2. https://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/2020/How+did+Can+ncs+first+test+on+the+WorldSSP+bike+go How did Can Öncü’s first test on the WorldSSP bike go?
  3. https://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/2020/Kawasaki+Puccetti+Racing+unveil+new+colours+ahead+of+2020+season Kawasaki Puccetti Racing unveil new colours ahead of 2020 season
  4. https://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/2023/Oncu+remains+with+Kawasaki+Puccetti+Racing+for+the+2024+WorldSSP+campaign Oncu remains with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing for the 2024 WorldSSP campaign
  5. http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2018/09/21/red-bull-rookies-champion-eligible-for-moto3-ride-in-2018/271948 Red Bull Rookies Champion eligible for Moto3™ ride in 2018
  6. Web site: MotoGP™. Sports. Dorna. secure.motogp.com. en. 22 November 2018.
  7. Web site: Ajo Motorsport. ajo.fi. en-US. 22 November 2018.
  8. https://www.dailysabah.com/motorsports/2018/11/18/turkish-teen-becomes-youngest-ever-motogp-grand-prix-winner Turkish teen becomes youngest ever MotoGP Grand Prix winner
  9. News: 2019 provisional entry lists revealed. motogp.com. 16 November 2018. 1 December 2018.
  10. https://www.dailysabah.com/feature/2017/12/18/twin-brothers-pushing-limits-of-motor-sports Twin brothers pushing limits of motor sports
  11. Web site: IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP. IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP. 22 November 2018.
  12. Web site: IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP. IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP. 22 November 2018.
  13. Web site: IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP. IDEMITSU - ASIA TALENT CUP. 22 November 2018.
  14. Web site: Results Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Cup. Red Bull MotoGP Rookies. Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. en-US. 19 November 2018.
  15. Web site: Results Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Cup. Red Bull MotoGP Rookies. Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. en-US. 19 November 2018.
  16. Web site: New Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 project for 2018 – Ajo Motorsport. ajo.fi. en-US. 22 November 2018.
  17. Web site: FIM World Championship Grand Prix Regulations update 2nd October 2018 - pdf.
  18. http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2018/11/18/can-oncu-stuns-the-field-to-create-grand-prix-history/279172 Can Öncü stuns the field to create Grand Prix history
  19. News: 18 November 2019. Can Öncü joins WorldSSP grid with all-new Turkish Racing Team. Superbike World Championship. Dorna WSBK. 3 October 2021.