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]

Deniz Öncü
NationalityTurkish
Born (2003-07-26) 26 July 2003 (age 21)
Alanya, Turkey
Current teamRed Bull KTM Ajo
Bike number53
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Moto2 World Championship
Active years2024
ManufacturersKalex
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
16 0 1 0 0 49
Moto3 World Championship
Active years20192023
ManufacturersKTM
Championships0
2023 championship position4th (223 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
76 3 13 8 7 568

Career

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Early career

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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

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Red Bull KTM Ajo (2019)

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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)

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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)

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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

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Red Bull KTM Ajo (2024-)

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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

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Asia Talent Cup

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Races by year

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

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts
2016 Honda THA1
11
THA2
9
QAT1
12
QAT2
15
MAL1
Ret
MAL2
14
CHN1
6
CHN2
6
JPN1
Ret
JPN2
10
SEP1
5
SEP2
3
10th 72
2017 Honda THA1
1
THA2
1
QAT1
Ret
QAT2
5
SUZ1
Ret
SUZ2
5
MAL1
6
MAL2
2
JPN1
3
JPN2
3
SEP1
7
SEP2
4
1st 156

FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship

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Races by year

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

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts
2018 KTM EST
24
VAL1
Ret
VAL2
14
LMS
14
CAT1
9
CAT2
Ret
ARA
7
JER1
7
JER2
6
ALB
32
VAL1
24
VAL2
26
14th 39
2019 KTM EST
28
VAL1
Ret
VAL2
Ret
FRA
8
CAT1
Ret
CAT2
8
ARA
11
JER1
13
JER2
4
ALB
7
VAL1
Ret
VAL2
Ret
12th 46

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

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Races by year

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

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Pts
2017 JER1
Ret
JER2
9
ASS1
11
ASS2
5
SAC1
1
SAC2
Ret
BRN1
9
BRN2
1
RBR1
8
RBR2
5
MIS
4
ARA1
4
ARA2
6
4th 135
2018 JER1
4
JER2
3
MUG
6
ASS1
4
ASS2
5
SAC1
1
SAC2
2
RBR1
4
RBR2
4
MIS
8
ARA1
1
ARA2
1
2nd 192

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

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By season

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Season Class Motorcycle Team Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd
2019 Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Ajo 5 0 0 0 0 0 35th
2020 Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Tech3 15 0 0 0 0 50 17th
2021 Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Tech3 16 0 3 1 0 95 11th
2022 Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Tech3 20 0 3 3 4 200 5th
2023 Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Ajo 20 3 7 4 3 223 4th
2024 Moto2 Kalex Red Bull KTM Ajo 16* 0 1 0 0 49* 20th*
Total 92 3 14 8 7 617

By class

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Class Seasons 1st GP 1st Pod 1st Win Race Win Podiums Pole FLap Pts WChmp
Moto3 2019–2023 2019 Czech Republic 2021 Catalunya 2023 Germany 76 3 13 8 7 568 0
Moto2 2024–present 2024 Qatar 2024 Aragon 16 0 1 0 0 49 0
Total 2019–present 92 3 14 8 7 617 0

Races by year

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

Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos Pts
2019 Moto3 KTM QAT ARG AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER CZE
18
AUT
17
GBR RSM
16
ARA
24
THA
19
JPN AUS MAL VAL 35th 0
2020 Moto3 KTM QAT
12
SPA
25
ANC
Ret
CZE
15
AUT
8
STY
Ret
RSM
16
EMI
7
CAT
Ret
FRA
22
ARA
15
TER
7
EUR
14
VAL
6
POR
10
17th 50
2021 Moto3 KTM QAT
20
DOH
18
POR
15
SPA
20
FRA
9
ITA
Ret
CAT
3
GER
16
NED
15
STY
21
AUT
2
GBR
8
ARA
2
RSM
21
AME
5
EMI ALR VAL
5
11th 95
2022 Moto3 KTM QAT
4
INA
5
ARG
14
AME
5
POR
4
SPA
4
FRA
9
ITA
15
CAT
5
GER
7
NED
9
GBR
3
AUT
4
RSM
4
ARA
4
JPN
15
THA
17
AUS
2
MAL
10
VAL
2
5th 200
2023 Moto3 KTM POR
10
ARG
24
AME
6
SPA
9
FRA
6
ITA
2
GER
1
NED
3
GBR
11
AUT
1
CAT
11
RSM
3
IND
14
JPN
Ret
INA
8
AUS
1
THA
5
MAL
11
QAT
3
VAL
5
4th 223
2024 Moto2 Kalex QAT
15
POR
20
AME
22
SPA
14
FRA
18
CAT
19
ITA
13
NED GER GBR AUT
11
ARA
3
RSM
19
EMI
Ret
INA
9
JPN
17
AUS
21
THA
10
MAL
7
VAL 20th* 49*

* Season still in progress.

References

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  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.
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