Italian sophomore rider Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) closed out another terrific MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship round, this time at Donington Park, where the #5 earned his third podium hat-trick of 2026. His results at the Prosecco DOC UK Round, including tying his all-time best WorldSBK result of P2, have seen him defend third place in the Riders’ Championship with four rounds to go, a feat far from the more modest expectations both he and his team had anticipated prior to the start of the season.

SATURDAY SILVERWARE

Montella took his fifth front-row start of 2026 on Saturday, just two tenths off Nicolo Bulega’s (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’24.410s Tissot Superpole time, but a poor start at lights out in Race 1 saw him fall down to P5, where he languished over the first five laps. He and Tommy Bridewell (Superbikes Advocates) started climbing up the grid on the subsequent lap; however, the Italian took P4 from home hero Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), before the #5 passed his brother Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) four laps later when the Brit ran wide into Turn 1, sending Montella up to P3. From Lap 9 on, Montella did his best to catch up to the leading factory Ducati pair, but with a gap of nearly four seconds to Lecuona in P2, the margin only grew before settling around six seconds in the final laps of the race.

“I TRIED TO STAY WITH HIM, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE GAP DIDN’T GROW TO BECOME TOO MUCH”

Sunday morning saw the best results of the round for the Italian, as, free of the pack of riders who overtook him in Race 1 at lights out, he moved past Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) in the first sector and chased the #7 for the race lead. Montella saw daylight ahead of him from P1 for the second time this season after Lecuona crashed out from first place on the final corner of Lap 2. Montella admitted he couldn’t help but dream of P1, but a resurgent #11 had cut the gap down to under two tenths by Lap 3, and on the next lap, Bulega retook the lead after a move on his countryman at the Melbourne Hairpin. While the Championship leader went on to finish in P1 with Montella behind him in P2, the #5 was encouraged by the result, as not only had he tied his best result of the season so far, but he had also kept the #11 within a second and a half.

Race 2 saw Montella pick up where he left off, riding in P2 over the first two-thirds of the race. Behind him, Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was charging up the order after starting P10, riding in P3 by Lap 7. By Lap 9, the Spaniard was within 1.4s of the #5, by Lap 12, within 0.7s, and on Lap 16, with dwindling rear grip, Montella saw the #7 overtake him for P3, closing his weekend in third place.

On his double podium on Sunday, Montella said: “The Superpole Race was fun. When I saw Iker crash, I thought ok, I need to stay calm and do my best. I thought that my moment had finally come, but in the end, Nicolo caught up to me and made a hard overtake. I tried to stay with him, and for the first time, the gap didn’t grow to become too much. In Race 2, I tried to stay with him because our base setup was strong. It was easier at the start, but at the end of the race, I didn’t expect to struggle so much with the rear tyre. I tried to manage the gap to stay ahead of Iker, but it was impossible because he was faster. He had more grip than us. Turns 2, 3, 5 and 6, we were around the same speed, but it was a positive weekend overall. I’m super happy and super proud of the triple podium here.”

“WE’RE THIRD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO FINISH THERE”

Montella has been on a tear in 2026, particularly as of late. While at Aragon he missed the top six in all three races, he otherwise hasn’t missed the podium going back as far as Race 2 at Balaton Park. At Donington, he not only kept that trajectory but even built on it: while he inherited the position after Lecuona’s crash, his Superpole Race P2 ties his best-ever result in WorldSBK, matching the result he earned in 2026’s opening race. Not only do these results continue to impress Team Principal Marco Barnabo, culminating in his team’s decision to renew the #5’s contract, but the resulting points have built up somewhat of a cushion behind him in third place in the Riders’ Championship. Currently 29 points clear of Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) in P4, the Italian is focused on staying close to the factory riders ahead of him and letting the results follow.

On his goals for the rest of the season and particularly a third-place finish in the Riders’ Championship, Montella said: “I wasn’t too frustrated when Bulega passed me in the Superpole Race because my goal is to do my best and finish as close as possible to first place. Sunday morning, for example, I was third, but I was happier because I was closer to first. I’m doing my best and trying to improve myself and my riding style. That’s what I’m focused on; the results come through doing the work that we’re doing. We’re third in the Championship, and it would be nice to finish there. It looks good at the moment; it wasn’t in our plans at the start of the year, but the team is working hard. This weekend at Donington was the closest we have been to first place all season, so I am happy and proud.”

Montella will return next round for the fight in France at Magny-Cours! Catch up on all the action this season and in past seasons with the WorldSBK VideoPass! Now 70% off!