SPANISH ROUND | SUNDAY
October 19, 2025
In the prestigious Ruote da Sogno showroom, surrounded by over 550 motorcycles of every brand and 200 cars from every era, Barni Spark Racing Team presented the new Panigale and the rider lineup for the 2026 WorldSBK season.
Taking to the track will be Álvaro Bautista and Yari Montella.
Alvaro, two-time WorldSBK Champion (2022 and 2023) and 125cc World Champion in 2006, is embarking on his first season with Barni Spark Racing Team and his eighth overall in WorldSBK, with a clear goal to aim high.
The absolute protagonist was the Ducati Panigale V4 RS26, the new twin-spar from Borgo Panigale, revealed by the riders and featuring a completely renewed Barni livery.
#THERECONQUEST
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“I’m very excited about this new challenge. There will definitely be many changes, a new team and a new working group. It won’t be easy at the start, but I believe with commitment and ambition everything is achievable.
I’m also very happy to join the Barni family because, from the outside, it feels like a very united team, constantly growing and increasingly competitive. Barni is someone who wants to win and is very determined, a great motivation for the riders. I believe we can do a great job together. I feel very pumped, both physically and mentally, and I’m ready to give 100%. We need to work on finding the right feeling and understanding how to best manage the new bike. Official Ducati support is also fundamental and adds great value. I’m very excited and hope that, together, we can achieve great results and positions, but above all, have fun doing our job”.
MARCO BARNABO’, Team Principal
“I am very proud of the position that my team and I have achieved. The season ahead is particularly important: in 2026 we will start with a completely new bike, recently unveiled by Ducati, and with two riders competing in the Superbike category. For a private team, this represents a significant milestone as well as a demanding challenge.
We are extremely pleased to have brought a rider of Álvaro Bautista’s calibre into the team. A three-time World Champion, we are confident that we can achieve strong results with him and that his experience will help us grow further, taking another step forward in terms of competitiveness.
What I particularly admire about Bautista is his incredible determination and commitment, which he shows every single day despite having already achieved extraordinary success. It is truly an exemplary attitude. He deserves to achieve excellent results, and we will work tirelessly to reach them together.
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 also comes from our technical partners, who supply us with essential materials to improve the bike and make it increasingly competitive, in line with our vision.
My thanks also go to all the people working within the team, from the mechanics on track to those working behind the scenes at home. A special acknowledgement goes to Ducati, with whom we have shared a partnership for over 30 years and who continues to give its full support to our team. Finally, but no less importantly, I would like to thank Pamela, who supports the team’s work from home; without her, I would not be able to do what I am doing today.”
