Spanish rider Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) will move this offseason to the independent Barni Spark Racing Team garage for 2027. The rider has delivered an impressive first season with the Pata Maxus Yamaha squad, performing as the manufacturer’s top rider with consistency on several occasions throughout the year, but will now take on a new challenge next season with the Ducati-powered outfit. With Vierge joining the team and Montella’s seat already secured, the team announced that Bautista and the squad will go their own ways after Jerez.
All through Vierge’s career in the paddock, however, he has been a clinical rider. Regardless of the machinery he has found himself on in WorldSBK, the Spaniard is a highly consistent finisher in the top ten, and – omitting DNFs – he has only finished outside the top 15 twice in his six-year WorldSBK career.
ARRIVAL FROM MOTO2 AND FINDING FORM WITH HONDA HRC
Vierge stepped into the paddock in 2022 after three years in the Moto3 European Championship (2012 to 2015), then a seven-year Moto2 career (2016 to 2021). He rode his first four seasons in the paddock with Honda HRC, where the #97 was a model of consistency. He and Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) frequently fought for top ten positions on the Honda CBR1000RR-R, helping the team develop the bike. Both riders went in a new direction in 2026, and Vierge moved atop a Yamaha to ride alongside Andrea Locatelli with the Pata Maxus Yamaha crew.
A MIXED BAG IN 2026
This season, Vierge has kept his surgical precision on the Yamaha R1 and enjoyed bright spots like P6 and P7 on Sunday at Assen; however, it hasn’t been the step forward he may have wanted. With six races remaining, he sits in P13 in the Championship picture, a drop from P7 last campaign. The Barcelona native will hope that a swap to the leading independent team, which rides in third place in the Teams’ Championship and whose lead rider currently holds third in the Riders’ Championship, will contribute to a faster 2027.
“I WILL GIVE MY VERY BEST TO REPAY THAT TRUST WITH GREAT RESULTS”
On his move, Vierge said: “I am very happy to join Barni Spark Racing Team, a team with a lot of history and passion for this sport. In recent years, they have demonstrated an incredible level in WorldSBK, consistently competing with the best. That's why, even though I had different options, I was clear that Barni Racing Team was the right choice. I can't wait to start working together, adapt to the bike, enjoy myself and strive to achieve our goals. I want to thank the team and sponsors for their trust in me, I will give my very best to repay that trust with great results.”
Excited for the season to come with Vierge’s arrival alongside Montella, Team Principal Marco Barnabo said: “We are delighted to announce our collaboration with Xavi Vierge for the 2027 season. We immediately found common ground on our goals and priorities, sharing from the very beginning a clear vision of what we want to achieve together. We are ready to embark on this new journey with great motivation and determination.”
BAUTISTA AND BARNI TO SPLIT WAYS
With the announcement, the team has also at last clarified the future of their collaboration with Alvaro Bautista, a topic which has been discussed widely around the paddock. In a post on Instagram, the team officially announced that their professional relationship with the two-time World Champion will come to an end at the close of the 2026 season, and thanked him for his service with the team this season,
In the post, the team said: “The Barni Spark Racing Team would like to sincerely thank Álvaro Bautista for the journey we have shared and for everything he has given to the team. Our professional relationship will come to an end at the end of the 2026 season, but the great work we have accomplished together and the many positive memories will remain. Having a two-time World Superbike Champion in our independent team has been an honour and a privilege, pushing us to work even harder and challenge ourselves every day. Álvaro’s contribution, his hard work and the points he has scored have been fundamental to our victory in the Best Independent Team title and continue to play a crucial role in the fight for the final team standings.”
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