Can Alexander Öncü (born 26 July 2003) is a Turkish

motorcycle racer Motorcycle racing (also called moto racing and motorbike racing) is the motorcycle sport of racing motorcycles. Major varieties include motorcycle road racing and off-road racing, both either on circuits or open courses, and track racing. Ot ...

. After spending the 2019 season in Moto3, for

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

and

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...

, he raced in the World Supersport with Turkish Racing Team, a new venture headed by Turkish former racer

Kenan Sofuoğlu Kenan Sofuoğlu (born 25 August 1984 in Kuzuluk, Akyazı) is a Turkish parliamentarian and former professional motorcycle racer. He holds a record five Supersport World Championship titles (2007, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016). Sofuoğlu also compe ...

and supported by Pucetti Kawasaki and Orelac Racing. After a change in regulations during 2018,Red Bull Rookies Champion eligible for Moto3™ ride in 2018
MotoGP.com News Retrieved 16 December 2018 he became the youngest

Grand Prix motorcycle racing Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...

winner when he won the

2018 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix The 2018 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix was the nineteenth and final round of the 2018 MotoGP season. It was held at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia on 18 November 2018. In the Moto3 race, Red Bull KTM Ajo wildcard Can Öncü m ...

aged 15 years, 115 days, and the first Turkish winner of a GP motorcycle road race. In late 2018, he was included into the provisional entry list for the 2019 Moto3 season with the

Red Bull KTM Ajo Ajo Motorsport is a Finnish Grand Prix motorcycle racing team, currently competing in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes under the name Red Bull KTM Ajo and in the MotoE class under the name Avant Ajo MotoE. The team's founder and principal is former ...

team, despite being younger than the usual minimum age requirement of 16. His twin brother,

Deniz Öncü Deniz Öncü (born 26 July 2003) is a Turkish motorcycle racer, currently competing in the Moto3 World Championship, for team Red Bull KTM Tech3. His twin brother, Can Öncü, is also a motorcycle racer. Both brothers are mentored by Turkish mu ...

, is also a motorcycle racer. Both brothers are mentored by Turkish multi-world champion motorcycle racer,

Career

Early career

Can and his twin brother, Deniz, competed in the Asia Talent Cup in 2016 (Can 9th, Deniz 10th) and 2017 (Can 3rd, Deniz 1st). Both entered the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2017 (Can 3rd, Deniz 4th) and Can became the

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is a motorcycle racing series contested by young, up-and-coming motorcycle riders, who have not had experience in a motorcycle grand prix previously. The class was founded in 2007, and since then a number of the ro ...

champion in

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

, while Deniz finished in second place. For 2018, as well as competing in the Rookies Cup, both Can and Deniz joined

Ajo Motorsport Ajo Motorsport is a Finnish Grand Prix motorcycle racing team, currently competing in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes under the name Red Bull KTM Ajo and in the MotoE class under the name Avant Ajo MotoE. The team's founder and principal is former ra ...

and also raced in the

FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship FIM JuniorGP World Championship is a junior class race event organized by Dorna Sports under FIM regulations. It runs under Moto3 regulations and acts as an Moto3 World Championship feeder. This class is restricted to single-cylinder 250 cc fou ...

. Later that year, Can became the first rider to win on his Grand Prix debut since

Noboru Ueda is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was exclusively a 125 class rider. Ueda began his Grand Prix career with a win in his inaugural race at the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix. His best seasons were in 1994, when he finished second in the ...

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...

. He also broke the record, held for ten years by previous youngest Grand Prix race winner

Scott Redding Scott Christopher Redding (born 4 January 1993) is a British motorcycle racer. For 2022 he is contracted to ride in Superbike World Championship with BMW Motorrad WorldSBK team after the 2020 and 2021 seasons with Ducati factory WSBK team ridi ...

, 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 FIM may refer to: Organizations and companies * Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, the International Motorcycling Federation * Flint Institute of Music, in Michigan, United States * Fox Interactive Media, now News Corp. Digital Media * ...

regulations, 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.Can Öncü stuns the field to create Grand Prix history
MotoGP.com Retrieved 19 November 2018

Moto3 World Championship

For

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

, Öncü made his full-season debut with

. 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

) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap) Season still in progress.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Oncu, Can Living people 2003 births People from Alanya Sportspeople from Antalya Turkish sportsmen Turkish motorcycle racers Moto3 World Championship riders Supersport World Championship riders