2026 Wed 05 Aug

WorldSSP Runner-Up Can Öncü Set for British Supersport Appearance with McAMS Yamaha

General

2025 FIM Supersport World Championship runner-up Can Öncü will make a surprise appearance in the Quattro Group British Supersport Championship as he stands in for the injured Ben Currie in the seventh round of the season at Thruxton.

The Turkish rider brings world-class experience to the fastest circuit in the United Kingdom – boasting a record of seven victories and 36 podium finishes in the ultra-competitive Supersport World Championship. He currently sits fourth in the 2026 WorldSSP standings with the Pata Yamaha Ten Kate team, producing four pole positions and six podium finishes this season alone.

The 23-year-old spent his early career in the Grand Prix paddock, winning the prestigious Red Bull Rookies Cup title in 2018. At the end of that season, a wildcard entry into the Moto3 World Championship at Valencia would see him become the youngest ever Grand Prix race winner at just 15 years and 115 days old – a performance that would earn him a full-time ride in the series for the following year.

The youngster joined the World Supersport Championship in 2020, and over recent years, has established himself as a clear front-runner and title contender. In 2025, he went elbow to elbow with eventual champion Stefano Manzi concluding his most successful year in the category as runner-up.

The super-fast and abrasive Thruxton circuit is unique in its nature, and having not ridden there before, Öncü will get his first laps of the Hampshire venue and the British Supersport-spec R9 in free practice next Friday.

Can Öncü

McAMS Yamaha - Thruxton Wild Card BSS Rider

“I’m really excited to be joining the British Supersport Championship with McAMS Yamaha at Thruxton next weekend. Stepping in to replace an injured rider is never the ideal circumstance, but I’m grateful for the opportunity and would like to wish Ben [Currie] all the best with his recovery. I’ll be aiming to get up to speed as quickly as possible, push to the limit, fly the flag for Yamaha and deliver my best performance throughout the weekend. It’s going to be a great experience, and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”

Steve Rodgers

McAMS Yamaha - Team Principal

“Our initial conversations with Can about joining us at Thruxton next weekend were really positive. He’s enthusiastic about the opportunity, and we’re looking forward to welcoming him into the garage for the weekend. Can brings a wealth of experience to the team, and we know he’ll be looking to make the most of every session. Of the UK circuits, Thruxton is probably one of the easier tracks to learn, but it’s also quite tricky in the same sense as it’s so fast! Having him in the garage will also be valuable from a development perspective. His feedback and experience will be important as we continue to move the package forward, while working closely alongside Harry [Truelove] throughout the weekend. Thanks to Yamaha Motor Europe and Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing for allowing him to come over!”

Pos	Rider	Team	Bike	PTS
1	Kyle Ryde	Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducati	Ducati	304
2	Scott Redding	Hager PBM Racing Team	Ducati	274
3	Brad Ray	McAMS Yamaha	Yamaha	215
4	Leon Haslam	Moto Rapido Racing	Ducati	190
5	Max Cook	AJN Steelstock bimota	Bimota	172
6	Ryan Vickers	Honda Racing UK	Honda	149
7	Rory Skinner	FS-3 Racing Kawasaki	Kawasaki	136
8	Christian Iddon	Sencat Racing Yamaha	Yamaha	106
9	Glenn Irwin	Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducati	Ducati	102
10	Storm Stacey	Bathams AJN Racing	Ducati	99

Pos	Rider	Team	Bike	PTS
1	Luke Stapleford	Scars-Racing Ducati	Ducati	256
2	Jack Kennedy	Honda Racing UK	Honda	212
3	Oli Bayliss	Triumph Macadam Factory Racing	Triumph	192
4	Ben Currie	McAMS Yamaha	Yamaha	184
5	Dean Harrison	Honda Racing UK	Honda	172
6	Harry Truelove	McAMS Yamaha	Yamaha	149
7	Oliver Barr	Binch Pro Ducat	Ducati	132
8	Carter Brown	Binch Pro Ducati	Ducati	90
9	Lee Johnston	SENCAT by Swan Racing	Triumph	82
10	Lucas Brown	MSG Racing Suzuki	Suzuki	81

R7

Can Öncü

McAMS Yamaha - Thruxton Wild Card BSS Rider

Steve Rodgers

McAMS Yamaha - Team Principal