The Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto2 rider knows he has taken a step forward in his second season in the category, but he wants to be consistently among the frontrunners before the end of 2025.

Deniz Öncü has become one of the most promising young riders in Moto2 during the first seven months of 2025. The Turkish rider from Red Bull KTM Ajo has not only achieved his first victory in the category, but has also added two more podium finishes, one of which was another P1, placing him among the riders with the most wins this season. Currently in sixth place overall, Deniz wants to maintain his form and aims to be more consistent for the rest of the season to fight for, why not, a place in the final Top 3 of the category.

At the start of the season, you said you wanted to fight as much as you can for podiums and victories this year. At the moment, you have already achieved 2 wins and a 2nd place. Is it more or less what you expected at the start?

“We have two wins and another podium at the moment. It’s not a bad way to go into the summer break. We can say that at the start of the season this is what I was aiming for. Until a few races into the campaign, I couldn’t deliver what I wanted to, but now I’m quite satisfied. Nevertheless, of course I want more, so we’ll try to achieve more great results during this second part of the season.”

One of the biggest problems you needed to face during this first part of the season was the Qualifying. In the big part of the last races, you did a step forward in this aspect. How did you changed to do it?

“The biggest problem I had this year was qualifying close to the front. When I qualified higher up the order, my race got a lot easier. But when I didn’t qualify well, the races became very difficult for me. Fortunately, we were able to improve this. We worked a lot to set out better strategies on Fridays and Saturdays, and this was a very good improvement for us. At the start of the season, I was very angry with myself. But then we stepped back and, as a team, started to work harder and in a calmer way. Then we started to see the results come, gradually, so we’re happy with the momentum we had before the summer break. I take away the positives from this first half of the year, and we will keep learning and pushing. That is the motivation now.”

Now, you have been a Moto2 rider for a year and a half. In which points do you think you’re stronger and in which points do you need to focus more during this second part of the season?

“I believe I improved a lot in terms of my riding style after my first season in Moto2. I think I’m also quite good at passing other riders on the brakes. For this second half of the year, I think that I just want to be more consistent. I know that I already took a step forward, but we need more. What I want to do is keep working to maintain our pace at every track during the three days, because we’re in a class where small mistakes are punished and we need to avoid them as much as we can.”

After 12 races, you’re 6th on the standings with 100 points, some more than what you did last year in your rookie season. Are you happy about how the 2025 is going? Which are your goals for the second part of the year?

“My goal is just to keep consistent and always take the maximum amount of points every weekend. We will see at the end of the season how we finish in the World Championship. I’m optimistic and believe it’s possible to finish in the Top 3. I’m not putting pressure on myself, but I just want to get as many points as I can, to finish as close as possible to the top riders.”

Your relation with Collin seems very closer, same with Jose Antonio and Alvaro, who are doing a great season in Moto3. How important is to have three friends in the box to be motivated and to fight for good results?

“I have a good friendship with all of my teammates: Collin Veijer, Jose Antonio Rueda and Alvaro Carpe. Especially with Jose Antonio because we have spent a lot more years together. We know each other very well and for me, he’s like my little brother. I care for him a lot. He’s also a good friend. I think it’s always nice to have someone on the team that you have fun alongside.” 

The Red Bull KTM Ajo is doing one of his best seasons so far, with 9 victories and 15 podiums between both categories by now. Which are the strenghts of the team and the keys to be such a competititve team in all tracks and conditions?

“The team are doing a really good job. So far, we’ve had 9 victories and 15 podiums. Everything that this team are achieving is because of their mentality and the spirit they have. We’re a big family and they are always motivated, so I think this is one of the keys to achieving these successes. It’s very nice to see.  It’s not just one person doing this job. It’s done as a team and everybody is doing their best at every moment. You can see the fire in the eyes of everybody. The team spirit is good and everybody is very professional here. I have known the team well since I was a kid, and I’m sure that the way we work is the right way in a world like this.”

In MotorLand you achieved your first Moto2 victory. What did you feelWas it more special for you than the one achieved in Moto3 at Sachsenring?

“The first win is always the most special, I think. Both the first victory in Moto3 and also the first in Moto2. I cannot choose or compare them, because both were such special moments for me. I think I cried in both races when I crossed the line. Achieving a goal like this, that you had always in your mind, is always so special.” 

After a bittersweet 2025 start, Moto2’s #53 seems to have found his place in the category, increasingly adapting to a bike he has been riding for a year and a half. With ten Grand Prix races ahead, the Turkish rider wants to confirm his place among the best in the category. To do so, he will face a very special event, as the Moto2 World Championship contests the Austrian GP from August 15-17^th.