Deniz Öncü (born 26 July 2003) is a Turkish motorcycle racer competing in the Moto2 World Championship for the Elf Marc VDS Racing Team. 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 tenth, and Can in ninth. They would compete again in 2017, Deniz becoming champion, and Can finishing third. They both entered the 2017 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, with Deniz finishing fourth, and Can in third. 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 seventh 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, 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 sixth 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 third place finish in Barcelona, followed by two second 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. All riders involved 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) Öncü competed 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 (2024-2025) Red Bull KTM Ajo announced the 2024 Moto2 rider line-up by promoting Öncü from Moto3 to be paired with Celestino Vietti.
Öncü won for the first time in MotorLand Aragon as the first ever Turkish rider to win a Moto2 race by 0.003 seconds against Diogo Moreira in 2025.
Marc VDS Racing Team (2026) On 17 September, it was announced that Öncü would join the Marc VDS Racing Team for the upcoming 2026 Moto2 season alongside Arón Canet.
Momoven Racing (2027) Öncü moved to RW Racing GP for the season.
Career statistics Asia Talent Cup Races by year (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 THA2 QAT1 QAT2 MAL1 MAL2 CHN1 CHN2 JPN1 JPN2 SEP1 SEP2 10th 72 2017 Honda THA1 THA2 QAT1 QAT2 SUZ1 SUZ2 MAL1 MAL2 JPN1 JPN2 SEP1 SEP2 1st 156
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Races by year (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 JER2 ASS1 ASS2 SAC1 SAC2 BRN1 BRN2 RBR1 RBR2 MIS ARA1 ARA2 4th 135 2018 JER1 JER2 MUG ASS1 ASS2 SAC1 SAC2 RBR1 RBR2 MIS ARA1 ARA2 2nd 192
FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship Races by year (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 VAL1 VAL2 LMS CAT1 CAT2 ARA JER1 JER2 ALB VAL1 VAL2 14th 39 2019 KTM EST VAL1 VAL2 FRA CAT1 CAT2 ARA JER1 JER2 ALB VAL1 VAL2 12th 46
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
By season Season Class Motorcycle Team Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Ajo 5 0 0 0 0 0 35th Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Tech3 15 0 0 0 0 50 17th Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Tech3 16 0 3 1 0 95 11th Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Tech3 20 0 3 3 4 200 5th Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Ajo 20 3 7 4 3 223 4th Moto2 Kalex Red Bull KTM Ajo 17 0 1 0 0 49 20th Moto2 Kalex Red Bull KTM Ajo 12 2 3 0 0 100 12th Moto2 Boscoscuro Elf Marc VDS Racing Team 15 0 0 0 0 38.5* 16th* Total 120 5 17 8 7 755.5
By class 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 Aragón 2025 Aragón 44 2 4 0 0 187.5 0 Total 2019–present 120 5 17 8 7 755.5 0
Races by year (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 21 22 Pos Pts Moto3 KTM QAT ARG AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER CZE AUT GBR RSM ARA THA JPN AUS MAL VAL 35th 0 Moto3 KTM QAT SPA ANC CZE AUT STY RSM EMI CAT FRA ARA TER EUR VAL POR 17th 50 Moto3 KTM QAT DOH POR SPA FRA ITA CAT GER NED STY AUT GBR ARA RSM AME EMI ALR VAL 11th 95 Moto3 KTM QAT INA ARG AME POR SPA FRA ITA CAT GER NED GBR AUT RSM ARA JPN THA AUS MAL VAL 5th 200 Moto3 KTM POR ARG AME SPA FRA ITA GER NED GBR AUT CAT RSM IND JPN INA AUS THA MAL QAT VAL 4th 223 Moto2 Kalex QAT POR AME SPA FRA CAT ITA NED GER GBR AUT ARA RSM EMI INA JPN AUS THA MAL SLD 20th 49 Moto2 Kalex THA ARG AME QAT SPA FRA GBR ARA ITA NED GER CZE AUT HUN CAT RSM JPN INA AUS MAL POR VAL 12th 100 Moto2 Boscoscuro THA BRA USA SPA FRA CAT ITA HUN CZE NED GER GBR ARA RSM AUTJPN INA AUS MAL QAT POR VAL 16th* 38.5* Half points awarded as less than half of the race distance (but at least three full laps) was completed. Season still in progress.
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