Can Öncü

Can Alexander Öncü is a Turkish professional motorcycle racer competing in the FIM Supersport World Championship. Born on 26 July 2003 in Alanya, he made history in 2018 by winning the Valencian Community Grand Prix at 15 years and 115 days old, becoming the youngest winner in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history and the first Turkish rider to claim a GP victory. That record still stands.

After a rookie season in Moto3 with Red Bull KTM Ajo in 2019, Öncü moved to WorldSSP in 2020 with the Turkish Racing Team, a project led by his mentor Kenan Sofuoğlu. He has since developed into a title contender, finishing runner-up in the 2025 championship and mounting a serious challenge in 2026 with Yamaha Ten Kate. Known for his calm demeanor and aggressive overtaking, Öncü is a fan favourite and a national hero in Turkey.[edit]

Can Öncü grew up in Alanya, a coastal city in southern Turkey, alongside his twin brother Deniz. The brothers were introduced to motorcycle racing at a very young age, nurtured by their family's passion for the sport. Their talent was mentored by Kenan Sofuoğlu, Turkey's most successful motorcycle racer and a five-time World Supersport Champion, who played a pivotal role in guiding both brothers' careers.

Öncü's rise through the ranks was rapid. He competed in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, a prestigious feeder series for young riders, where he demonstrated exceptional skill. In 2018, he claimed the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Championship, establishing himself as one of the most promising young talents in world motorcycle racing. That same year, a regulation change allowed younger riders to compete at the Grand Prix level, opening the door for his historic debut.

His breakout came at the Valencian Community Grand Prix in November 2018. At just 15 years and 115 days old, Öncü won the race, becoming the youngest winner in Grand Prix history and the first Turkish rider ever to claim a Grand Prix victory. The achievement immediately put him on the world stage and set the foundation for his professional career.[edit]

Öncü moved up to the Moto3 World Championship in 2019 with Red Bull KTM Ajo, despite being below the usual minimum age of 16. His rookie season provided invaluable experience against the world's best young riders.

For 2020, he shifted to the World Supersport Championship, joining the Turkish Racing Team, a new outfit led by Kenan Sofuoğlu with technical support from Pucetti Kawasaki and Orelac Racing. He remained with that squad through 2024, a rare show of loyalty in modern motorcycle racing.

His progress culminated in 2025, when he finished as runner-up in the FIM Supersport World Championship. That result earned him a factory ride with Yamaha Ten Kate for 2026, where he has been a title favourite. The season has been a mix of brilliance and inconsistency: he topped Superpole at Portimão and Misano, took back-to-back poles in July, and finished third at Misano. But team management has publicly expressed frustration with his fluctuating form.

During the 2026 summer break, Öncü was confirmed for a guest appearance in the British Supersport Championship with McAMS Yamaha at Thruxton, arranged to keep him race-sharp.[edit]

Öncü is known for a calm demeanor off the track and fierce competitiveness on it. His racing style is characterized by aggressive overtaking, particularly dramatic last-corner moves and spectacular first-lap charges through the field. This combination of composure and aggression has made him a fan favourite.

Turkish motorsport fans regard Öncü as a national hero and role model for young riders. The Turkish Racing Team was established as a national project, giving his career a patriotic dimension. Reddit fan communities discuss his potential move to World Superbike, with fans noting his injuries and expecting him to progress to the premier production-based class.

His social media presence, managed in conjunction with Red Bull, reflects his professional athlete status, focused on racing results, training, and behind-the-scenes content.[edit]

Can Öncü is a name that echoes far beyond the paddock. In Turkey, he is a national hero; in the wider motorsport world, he is the boy who rewrote history at 15. Yet for all his fame, iFANN's Global Fame Engine has evaluated him but found no placement in its published rankings, no Global Top 1,000, no Top-100 scope list. That may surprise those who watched him win in Valencia, but fame is a fickle metric, and Öncü's story is still being written.

His fanbase, though passionate, has no formal name. There is no coined portmanteau, no organized campaigns, no birthday billboards. Instead, his support lives in the roar of Turkish crowds and the chatter of Reddit threads where fans debate his potential. They call him a prodigy, a genius, a puzzle, sometimes all in the same breath.

What he lacks in ranking placement, he makes up for in legend. The 2019 Valencia win, the youngest Grand Prix victory ever, is his cornerstone. The viral first-corner charge, gaining ten positions in a single swoop, is a clip that still circulates. And the 2026 battle at Most, where he pushed Valentin Debise to the limit, added another chapter. Öncü's fame is not a number; it is a story, one that fans are still telling.[edit]

Can and Deniz Öncü are identical twins, both pursuing professional racing careers simultaneously, a rare phenomenon in top-level motorsport. His 2018 victory at 15 years and 115 days remains the youngest GP win in history, a record unlikely to be broken given subsequent age restrictions. Öncü's historic win was only possible due to a rule change that lowered the minimum age for GP competition. His last-corner overtake on Stefano Manzi was described by fans as "insane" and replayed for weeks, showcasing his aggressive, exciting racing style. Known for spectacular first-lap overtakes, including a famous 10-position gain at the first corner in one race.

Another legendary moment came in 2026 at the Most round of WorldSSP, where Öncü engaged in an epic last-lap fight with French rider Valentin Debise, a battle that Debise himself discussed at length afterward. The duel has become a defining moment of the season, a story fans retell with relish.

Yet his career has also been marked by a frustrating inconsistency, "Top today, flop tomorrow," as one headline put it. This duality, the genius who sometimes stumbles, has become part of his legend, making every race a test of which Öncü will show up.[edit]

Can Öncü's most prominent family connection is his twin brother Deniz Öncü, who is also a professional motorcycle racer. Deniz currently competes in the Moto2 World Championship and, as of mid-2026, was focused on a stronger second half of the season to keep his Moto2 world title dream alive. The brothers share a close bond and have supported each other's careers from the beginning.

Their mentor, Kenan Sofuoğlu, has acted as a father figure and career guide, establishing the Turkish Racing Team specifically to nurture Turkish talent in WorldSSP. Can's family background is otherwise kept private, with no public information about his parents or other siblings.[edit]

Kenan Sofuoğlu, five-time WorldSSP Champion, mentored Can and his twin brother Deniz, and founded the Turkish Racing Team. Deniz Öncü, his identical twin, races in Moto2. On track, Can has had memorable battles with Stefano Manzi and Valentin Debise. He rides for Yamaha Ten Kate in WorldSSP and made a guest appearance with McAMS Yamaha in British Supersport. [edit]

Based on available public information from credible sources, no confirmed public romantic relationships have been documented for Can Öncü. There are no verified reports of him dating, being engaged, married, or having children. His public persona is focused almost exclusively on his racing career, and he has not been linked romantically to anyone in mainstream or motorsport media.

As of 2026, Can Öncü's relationship status is single, based on the absence of any confirmed romantic partner in credible sources. He appears to be entirely focused on his racing career. This assessment is based on the lack of public information rather than explicit confirmation from Öncü himself, and his private life remains largely out of the public eye.[edit]

iFANN's editorial analysis currently estimates Can Öncü's net worth at $3 million. The bulk of his income comes from his racing salary with Yamaha Ten Kate in the World Supersport Championship, a factory-supported team that pays professional wages. As a Red Bull athlete, he also receives sponsorship funding from the energy drink giant, a deal that includes performance bonuses and marketing support. Race prize money and championship bonuses add to his earnings, with podium finishes and race victories in WorldSSP carrying significant payouts. His 2025 runner-up finish in the championship likely came with a substantial end-of-season bonus. Additional income streams include personal sponsorship and endorsement deals, though specific brands are not publicly detailed. His guest appearance in the British Supersport Championship with McAMS Yamaha in 2026 likely included an appearance fee. Öncü's net worth has grown steadily since his breakthrough, though it remains modest compared to MotoGP stars.[edit]

Can Öncü's career is marked by historic achievements. He won the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2018, and that same year became the youngest Grand Prix winner in history. In WorldSSP, he has claimed multiple race victories and finished as championship runner-up in 2025. His 2026 season has added further podium finishes and pole positions to his tally. [edit]