It was in the evocative setting of Ruote da Sogno, in Reggio Emilia, that Barni Spark Racing officially kicked off its 2026 season, becoming the first team to unveil the bikes and riders that will compete in next season's World Superbike Championship.
It is a year that starts with great ambitions for the Bergamo-based team, which will entrust two new Ducati V4 Rs to the new pairing of three-time world champion Alvaro Bautista and the confirmed Yari Montella. The aim is to aim high, after winning the title of best independent team for two consecutive years with Danilo Petrucci, the new BMW rider.
As well as the line-up, the livery of the Barni team's Ducatis will also be renewed in 2026, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the sporting career of team principal Marco Barnabò. The color red dominates the graphics designed by Oscar Pozzini, creative director of Babol Communication's, but there is also room for the black that has distinguished the team in recent years.
Alvaro Bautista will be looking to make these colors shine in what will be his first year with the independent team after four consecutive seasons with Aruba.it Racing, with whom he won the championship in 2022-2023.
"I am very excited about this new challenge. There will certainly be many changes, a new team and a new working group. It won't be easy at first, but I believe that with commitment and ambition, anything is possible. I am also very happy to join the Barni family, because from the outside, it seems like a very united team, constantly growing and increasingly competitive. Barni is someone who wants to win and is very determined, which is a great stimulus for the riders. I believe that together we can do a great job," said the Spanish rider, who is ready to give his all despite the ballast that will weigh him down in the upcoming season: "I feel very energized, both physically and mentally, and I am ready to give 100%. We have to work to find the right feeling and understand how to best manage the new bike. Ducati's official support is also fundamental, representing a great added value. I am very excited and hope that, together, we can achieve excellent results and positions, but above all, have fun doing our job."
Coming off a complicated season of adaptation to the premier class of production-derived bikes, Yari Montella will instead aim to continue his growth path by capitalizing on the speed he was only able to show in flashes in 2025.
"We are preparing well for the 2026 season. I am focused on the work we have to do and, thanks to the experience gained in 2025, we are working to strengthen our weaknesses and make sure we are ready," said the rider from Campania. " The goal is to improve on what we did last season, also because 2026 will be important for my personal and professional development. I am focused, but calm and eager to get started. It will also be very stimulating to share the pit with a rider like Alvaro; I will certainly have the opportunity to learn and compare different methods. I will try to absorb as much as possible."
Marco Barnabò is also looking forward to the upcoming season with enthusiasm.
"I am very proud of the position that my team and I have achieved. The season ahead of us is particularly important: in 2026, we will start with a completely new bike, just unveiled by Ducati, and with two riders competing in the Superbike category. For a private team, this is a significant achievement, as well as a challenging one," underlined the Team Principal.
"I am happy to continue the journey we started with Yari Montella. We know he is a fast young rider who just needs to build on the work we have done together in recent years. At the same time, we are extremely pleased to have brought a rider of the caliber of Alvaro Bautista, three-time world champion, to the team. We are convinced that we can do very well with him and that his experience will help us grow further, allowing us to take another step forward in terms of competitiveness. What I particularly admire about Bautista is the tremendous desire and commitment he shows every day, even though he has already achieved extraordinary goals. It is a truly exemplary attitude. He deserves to achieve excellent results and we will work hard to achieve them together," he continued. "I would like to thank everyone who supports us, starting with our sponsors; it is also thanks to the stability they provide that we can fully focus on developing the bike. A fundamental contribution comes from our technical partners, who provide us with essential materials to improve the bike and make it increasingly competitive, in line with our vision. Thanks also go to everyone who works in the team, from the mechanics on the track to those who work daily from home. Special recognition goes to Ducati, with whom we have had a collaborative relationship for 30 years now and who continue to give their all for our team. Last but not least, I want to thank Pamela, who supports the team's work from home; without her, I wouldn't be able to do the job I'm doing."