Ten Kate Yamaha had been hoping for a breakthrough, but then Öncü made a mistake

As the best possible successor to world champion Stefano Manzi, Can Öncü joined Ten Kate Yamaha for the 2026 Supersport World Championship. The Turkish rider finished runner-up in the world championship with six wins and 16 podium finishes, and was among the title favourites in the most successful Supersport team in history.

However, the 23-year-old did not achieve his first top-three finish until the third round of the season, at the Dutch team’s home race in Assen. The protégé of Supersport record world champion Kenan Sofuoglu had to wait until the ninth round for his first victory, when Öncü fought hard in the first race at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours to finish ahead of Roberto Garcia (Yamaha) and Valentin Debise (ZX Moto).

Can Öncü: First win of the season from 13th on the grid!

What makes his victory so remarkable is that Öncü started the race from 13th on the grid in the fourth row! “After Superpole, I’d been hoping for a podium finish, but apparently things go better for me when I have to start further back on the grid,” smiled Öncü. “I’m very happy and grateful to the team, because they’ve done a brilliant job. During the race, I tried to stay calm, as I’d been a bit too nervous in the previous races. During this long summer break, Kenan taught me how to be more relaxed on the bike, and it seems to be working. I’ve been training every day and really putting my all into it. It looks as though the hard work is paying off, and I’m very happy about this victory.”

Team manager Kervin Bos was also hugely relieved at his rider’s first win of the season. “Can had to start further back due to technical problems,” explained the Dutchman. “He kept his focus and today achieved what we’d been hoping for all season. He’s secured this important first win of the season. I expect we’ll make further progress from here.”

In the second race, Can Öncü made a single, but decisive, mistake

His hopes were well-founded. In the second race on Sunday, Öncü was once again in contention for victory. However, whilst leading on the final lap, he made a single, decisive mistake, allowing three riders – Garcia, World Championship leader Albert Arenas (Yamaha) and Debise – to slip past him. The Turkish rider finished in a disappointing fourth place.

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“Race 2 went brilliantly for me; I’m happy with the performance. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake in the final sector,” admitted the Yamaha rider. “Nevertheless, I’m very pleased with our work and will carry on in the same vein in the upcoming races.”

Ten Kate team manager Kervin Bos lost his cool

The moment Öncü missed the line at the Adelaide hairpin, emotions ran high in the Ten Kate Racing pit. Rarely had the usually composed Kervin Bos been seen so agitated and ranting.

“Can finished just off the podium, which, given how the race unfolded – both before and after the red flag – didn’t meet our expectations,” Bos later made clear – by which point the 39-year-old had regained his composure. “He certainly deserved better than fourth place, and it’s disappointing that it turned out this way, but we can be very satisfied with the pace he showed from Friday morning through to Sunday afternoon.”