Deniz Öncü Explained

Deniz Öncü
Nationality:Turkish
Birth Date:26 July 2003
Birth Place:Alanya, Turkey
Current Team:Red Bull KTM Ajo
Bike Number:53
Moto2 Active Years:
Moto2 Manufacturers:Kalex
Moto2 Race Starts:8
Moto2 Race Wins:0
Moto2 Podiums:0
Moto2 Poles:0
Moto2 Fastest Laps:0
Moto2 Total Points:11
Moto3 Active Years:
Moto3 Manufacturers:KTM
Moto3 Race Starts:76
Moto3 Race Wins:3
Moto3 Podiums:13
Moto3 Poles:8
Moto3 Fastest Laps:7
Moto3 Total Points:568
Moto3 Championships:0
Moto3 Last Season:2023
Moto3 Last Position:4th (223 pts)

Deniz Öncü (born 26 July 2003) is a Turkish motorcycle racer,[1] 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.[2]

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.[3] They would compete again in 2017, Deniz becoming champion, and Can finishing 3rd.[4] They both entered the 2017 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, Deniz finishing 4th, and Can in 3rd.[5] 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.[6]

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.[7]

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,[8] and the 2018 Valencian Grand Prix as a wildcard.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12]

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
10th72
2017HondaTHA1
THA2
QAT1
QAT2
SUZ1
SUZ2
MAL1
MAL2
JPN1
JPN2
SEP1
SEP2
1st156

FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship

Races by year

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

YearBike123456789101112PosPts
2018KTMEST
VAL1
VAL2
LMS
CAT1
CAT2
ARA
JER1
JER2
ALB
VAL1
VAL2
14th39
2019KTMEST
VAL1
VAL2
FRA
CAT1
CAT2
ARA
JER1
JER2
ALB
VAL1
VAL2
12th46

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
4th135
2018JER1
JER2
MUG
ASS1
ASS2
SAC1
SAC2
RBR1
RBR2
MIS
ARA1
ARA2
2nd192

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

SeasonClassMotorcycleTeamRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPtsPlcd
Moto3KTMRed Bull KTM Ajo50000035th
Moto3KTMRed Bull KTM Tech31500005017th
Moto3KTMRed Bull KTM Tech31603109511th
Moto3KTMRed Bull KTM Tech32003342005th
Moto3KTMRed Bull KTM Ajo2037432234th
Moto2KalexRed Bull KTM Ajo8*000011*23rd*
Total8431387579

By class

ClassSeasons1st GP1st Pod1st WinRaceWinPodiumsPoleFLapPtsWChmp
Moto32019–20232019 Czech Republic2021 Catalunya2023 Germany76313875680
Moto22024–present2024 Qatar80000110
Total2019–present84313875790

Races by year

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

YearClassBike1234567891011121314151617181920PosPts
Moto3KTMQATARGAMESPAFRAITACATNEDGERCZE
AUT
GBRRSM
ARA
THA
JPNAUSMALVAL35th0
Moto3KTMQAT
SPA
ANC
CZE
AUT
STY
RSM
EMI
CAT
FRA
ARA
TER
EUR
VAL
POR
17th50
Moto3KTMQAT
DOH
POR
SPA
FRA
ITA
CAT
GER
NED
STY
AUT
GBR
ARA
RSM
AME
EMIALRVAL
11th95
Moto3KTMQAT
INA
ARG
AME
POR
SPA
FRA
ITA
CAT
GER
NED
GBR
AUT
RSM
ARA
JPN
THA
AUS
MAL
VAL
5th200
Moto3KTMPOR
ARG
AME
SPA
FRA
ITA
GER
NED
GBR
AUT
CAT
RSM
IND
JPN
INA
AUS
THA
MAL
QAT
VAL
4th223
Moto2KalexQAT
POR
AME
SPA
FRA
CAT
ITA
NEDGERGBRAUT
CATRSMKAZINAJPNAUSTHAMALVAL23rd*11*
Season still in progress.

Notes and References

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