Turkish rider Deniz Öncü heads to Japan this weekend for the 16th round of the 2026 Moto2 World Championship, with the ELF Marc VDS rider looking to make another push up the standings at the demanding Mobility Resort Motegi.
The 23-year-old Red Bull athlete will race at the 4.801-kilometer circuit from Oct. 2-4, beginning the late-season overseas stretch of the Moto2 calendar alongside the championship’s leading contenders.
Motegi is a technical challenge, combining long straights with several heavy braking zones that place a premium on braking stability, acceleration and precision. The circuit has 14 corners, eight right-handers and six left-handers, while its longest straight stretches 762 meters.
The Moto2 field will complete 19 laps on Sunday for a total race distance of 91.22 kilometers.
Öncü arrives in Japan with significant Moto2 experience behind him. Racing for Marc VDS this season after moving from Red Bull KTM Ajo, the Turkish rider has been adapting to the team’s Boscoscuro machinery after spending his previous two Moto2 seasons on Kalex equipment.
His breakthrough came in 2025, when Öncü became the first Turkish rider to win a Moto2 race. He claimed victories at MotorLand Aragon and the Sachsenring, including a dramatic Aragón finish in which he beat Diogo Moreira by just 0.003 seconds.
His 2025 campaign was interrupted by a training injury to his left leg that forced him to miss the final rounds, but he still finished the championship 12th with 100 points.
Öncü’s move to Marc VDS has brought another adjustment as he continues to learn a new motorcycle and work within a different team environment. The Belgian squad has a strong Moto2 pedigree, having previously won multiple riders’ championships in the class.
The Motegi weekend also presents a fresh technical variable for teams and Pirelli, with the circuit having undergone a complete resurfacing between late 2025 and early 2026. Changes to the surface can affect grip and tire wear, making setup decisions particularly important over a race distance.
Öncü will first target a strong starting position in Saturday’s qualifying session, which begins at 7:40 a.m. Türkiye time.
The Japanese Grand Prix’s Moto2 race is scheduled for 6:15 a.m. Türkiye time on Sunday.
