Xavi Vierge is on the move. The Spanish rider will leave the Pata Maxus Yamaha garage at the end of the year to take on a brand-new challenge with the independent Barni Spark Racing Team for 2027. It is a massive shake-up for the grid, bringing a clinical, highly consistent finisher onto Ducati machinery alongside Montella, while current rider Alvaro Bautista and the squad will officially go their own ways after Jerez.
Throughout his six-year WorldSBK career, Vierge has been remarkably reliable. Outside of DNFs, the Spaniard has only ever finished outside the top 15 twice. That surgical precision started during his first four seasons in the paddock with Honda HRC, where he and Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) fought regularly for top-ten positions on the Honda CBR1000RR-R. He then made the jump for 2026 to ride alongside Andrea Locatelli in the Pata Maxus Yamaha crew, shining as the manufacturer's top rider on several occasions.
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,
Yet the 2026 campaign has proven to be a mixed bag. While he delivered bright spots like P6 and P7 on Sunday at Assen aboard the Yamaha R1, it has not quite been the step forward he wanted. With six races remaining, the Barcelona native sits down in P13 in the Championship standings, a noticeable drop from P7 last campaign. Hoping to bounce back, he now heads to a leading independent outfit currently sitting third in the Teams' Championship.
“I am very happy to join Barni Spark Racing Team, a team with a lot of history and passion for this sport,” Vierge said. “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.”
Team Principal Marco Barnabo is equally thrilled about the incoming signing. “We are delighted to announce our collaboration with Xavi Vierge for the 2027 season,” Barnabo stated. “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.”
Meanwhile, this massive roster shuffle spells the end of the road for the team's collaboration with two-time World Champion Álvaro Bautista. In an Instagram post, the team confirmed their professional relationship will conclude at the close of 2026. “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,” the post read, praising the Spaniard for his fundamental role in securing the Best Independent Team title. Vierge's final two rounds with Yamaha get underway at Estoril on October 9th.
