Footsteps of the Öncüs
In the 2015 season, at the urging of my motorsport friend Alper, who was then working at Daelim Turkey, we decided to enter the Turkish Motorcycle Circuit Racing Championship as a two-man team. Adding the track to everything I had experienced on two wheels over the years was very tempting. Frankly, a full season of the Turkish Championship for roughly the budget of a single rally, and a trip to Serres in Greece on top of that, was incredibly inviting. There were also no licence, entry or travel fees to pay. Everything, from transporting the motorcycle and ourselves to Serres to accommodation, köfte in Tekirdağ and fish in Kavala, was covered by the TMF. Considering what I had been through in car racing up to then, it made me smile bitterly.
That is a subject for a completely different article. In a 2015 season in which I learned a great deal and had an enormous amount of fun, the most interesting experience for me was the 125 class, which I entered on a 250cc Daelim. Although I ride a 1200cc BMW on the road, I had chosen the class that was cheapest to race in and that I thought would suit a beginner best. But when I went to Izmir for the first race, the picture looked rather different.
Being an entry-level class, the 250cc was also one where 11- and 12-year-old prospects started. I would be lying if I said I didn't feel like I was at a parents' evening at the first drivers' briefing :) But once we got out on track, it became clear who was whose parent.
It was my first time racing on a circuit anyway, and given the "difference" in both my motorcycle's power and my weight :) I simply couldn't get within the "10% of the class's best time" cut-off needed to start. Before I knew it, these little kids were flying past us. They were setting lap times close to those of the 600cc bikes, never mind the 250cc. And it wasn't only me. Almost nobody in the class apart from the kids was in a position to race. Trying to keep up with them, we ended up throwing ourselves about. Fortunately, we were allowed to start by a decision of the stewards.
So who were these 11-year-old whizz-kids? Bahattin, nephew of Kenan Sofuoğlu, Fazlı Geçir, and Deniz and Can Öncü. How was I supposed to know that, in an entry-level class, I would be lining up on the same grid as the greatest talents Turkey has produced?
When we went to the Serres race, I mounted my own camera on Can's bike. It is probably the first circuit onboard footage of Can's life, and you can watch it on YouTube. Together with Deniz, they swallow up the corners one by one almost as if they were playing a game.
The 2017 season was a golden year for Turkey on the world stage of motorsport. Alongside Ayhancan's successes in the Porsche Cup on track, there was an incredible increase both in the number of Turkish drivers starting abroad and in the quality of their cars. From karting to endurance racing, a Turkish team or driver started in almost every discipline.
But the real goal is to reach the top level of each discipline. If F1 and MotoGP are the nirvanas of this sport, then the Turkish riders closest to that level right now are, without question, the brothers Can and Deniz Öncü. So who are these kids?
Deniz and Can were born in 2003 and grew up in a multilingual home steeped in sport. At just 2.5 years old they got their first wheeled vehicles. On their tricycles they accompanied their parents on a 30-kilometre route around Alanya. Later, at 4.5, it was time for pocket bikes. Can took part in his first race in 2011. Deniz, who had broken an arm, was only able to join two races later.
They already hold Turkish Champion titles in motocross, supermoto and circuit racing. To their Balkan Championship titles in motocross and supermoto they added their first global cup championship title in 2017.
They have been the youngest competitors in almost every championship they have entered so far, and for many championships they took part in the opening round with special permission because they were under the age limit.
In the 2016 season, Can and Deniz started in the Asia Talent Cup as its youngest competitors. Despite their disadvantages in experience, weight and age, they had a very good learning season and in 2017 earned the right to race in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, known as the school for MotoGP.
Thanks to his low weight, Deniz beat older and more experienced rivals despite the extra ballast on his motorcycle, especially in wet races, and even caught the attention of legendary rider Valentino Rossi.
After Deniz finished third in the 2016 race at Sepang in Malaysia following a great fight, Rossi came over in his race suit to congratulate him in person. The fact that Rossi shook the hand of Deniz alone, the third-place finisher, made big waves in the MotoGP media.
2017 was Can and Deniz's second season in the Asia Talent Cup and their first in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. On the radar of the big teams from the start of the season, the Öncü brothers prepared for the new season in Spain with private coaches.
Although Can fell behind in the standings, with setbacks in a few races as a result of pushing the limits, it did not go unnoticed that in every race in which he stayed in the fight he was at a much higher pace than the others.
But Deniz managed to reach the podium even in races where he had dropped back, and his consistently collected points, cool-headed riding and a stunning attack at the last corner of the final race made him the 2017 Asia Talent Cup champion. Despite everything that happened to him, Can finished third in the Asia Talent Cup.
Can was the first to be selected for the Red Bull Rookies Cup. But early in the season, they brought Deniz into the championship as well. The championship organisers would see how right a decision that was as the season went on.
In the Red Bull Rookies Cup's first season, the Öncü brothers showed the same strength they had shown in the Asia Talent Cup against rivals who were older, more experienced and training on bikes equivalent to those they raced.
Throughout the season, almost every race saw either both brothers or one of them on the podium. Deniz drew particular attention in wet races and has already earned the title of "rainman". Can, meanwhile, stood out in every race with the superiority he had over his rivals, and the commentators presenting the races ended up talking about nothing but the Öncü brothers throughout.
With the points they collected in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, Can finished third in the championship, while Deniz completed it in fourth place.
The Öncü brothers also closed out the 2017 season by signing a contract with Red Bull KTM Ajo, the team of KTM, which is also a MotoGP factory team, competing in the FIM CEV World Championship.
The Öncü brothers, who will also race in the Asia Talent Cup in 2018 with the aim of winning the title again, are now heading for the MotoGP circuits.
Deniz and Can Öncü, who will race as factory riders on the Red Bull KTM Ajo team's KTM Moto3 motorcycles, will now have their own service trucks, dedicated engineers and trainers in the 2018 season.
A very busy season awaits the Öncü brothers in 2018, as they will race in the Asia Talent Cup, Moto3 Junior and the Red Bull Rookies Cup.
Even you got excited and proud reading this, didn't you? Today, riders who hold world champion titles follow Deniz and Can's social media accounts and leave comments. Today the eyes of the motorcycle world are on Deniz and Can. But despite all this success and such a bright future, do you know how these kids get to their races abroad? Without a sponsor. Last season, after becoming riders of Kenan Sofuoğlu's club KNN54, they were only able to go to the races with Kenan's personal support. In 2018 they will have their own truck, but their father Önder Öncü is taking care of everything else, from flights and accommodation to hire cars.
When I think of the money spent on the absurdity called football, I genuinely still can't believe that no support has been found for these kids, who carry our flag in the 2018 season, get our national anthem played at almost every race, and will sooner or later race in MotoGP.
