SBK, Barnabò: "I didn’t take Petrucci-BMW well. Montella can’t afford to make mistakes, and Bautista…

Marco Barnabò spoke to Corsedimoto about the 2025 Superbike season and the future of the Barni Spark Racing Team.

The Barni Spark Racing Team had an excellent 2025 Superbike season, achieving great results with Danilo Petrucci and bringing a rookie like Yari Montella to his debut in the category. The team was the best among the independents and Petrux was the top independent rider. Unfortunately, an injury suffered by the rider from Terni while he was third in the championship standings prevented him and the Bergamo-based outfit from putting the cherry on top of their three-year spell together.

Petrucci will race with BMW in 2026, while Alvaro Bautista will join the box. The two-time WorldSBK champion is highly motivated and aims to be a front-runner with the new Ducati Panigale V4 R. His presence can help Montella, who has been confirmed and is called to raise his level. Team principal Marco Barnabò gave an interview to Corsedimoto.com to look back on the past season and talk about the future as well.

“It’s definitely positive. Obviously, there’s regret about Danilo’s injury, because it didn’t allow us to fight for third place. We would have preferred to lose it on track. In any case, we were always up there with the best and the balance with Petrucci can only be positive. As for Montella, the rider was fast, but he didn’t capitalize enough on the work done in the box. He isn’t happy with how his season went and consequently neither are we, but we decided to place our trust in him again for 2026. We consider 2025 a learning year; next year he will have to convert more of that into results.”

“This is the kind of thing that unfortunately isn’t visible on track, but it’s a very complicated job. The organization at home has become much bigger, the workload ahead of race weekends has doubled and it’s handled by a few people. Let’s say one, Pamela. As for the track, it’s demanding but also nicer to have two riders circulating, because you can make comparisons and that helps us in our work.”

“It leaves us with positive memories; there’s great satisfaction for what we did together. When we started, we were struggling. In the first test at Portimão we were 2 seconds off the leader. It was by no means a given that we’d end up with such a positive final result. Early on he wasn’t happy; the first six months were a difficult situation to manage. Then he understood that time was needed, that he had to trust the bike, the team, the tires, and that he had to adapt. From there it was an upward trajectory; every year we always tried to improve. We did specific work for him: the swingarm, the seat, the tank… I’m satisfied with the excellent work we did together.”

“I took it very badly. I took it for granted that we would continue together. We wanted to carry on, while he was tempted by the chance to join a factory team. It didn’t seem like he had a door open, but then the BMW offer arrived. I think he was a bit torn making that decision. But when they offer the bike that won the last two riders’ world titles and a factory team, I don’t know what to say. Danilo felt it was an opportunity not to be refused. In part I agree, in part maybe not, but I accept his decision. We’ll remain on excellent terms forever.”

“When Danilo decided to change, I thought it would be necessary to find a rider of his caliber to continue the work the team is doing. Also, the partners who support us thought we would continue with Petrucci, so I couldn’t afford not to have an experienced and competitive rider. I knew Alvaro was a bit cornered with the factory team and I immediately started working to bring him to us. I saw in him a tremendous desire to challenge himself again and to work with a private team to compete and win races. This gave us great satisfaction, because a two-time world champion might decide to stay home rather than race with an independent team. From him I felt great trust in us and that fills us with pride. Rea and Iannone? We moved very quickly with Alvaro, even if more names were circulating. When he realized he couldn’t stay with the Ducati factory team, we closed the deal. We signed on Ferragosto.”

“The new bike will be a big commitment. We brought it home just a few days ago and there will be a lot of work to do, because it’s completely new. Montella knows he can’t afford to get the season wrong; he’s training a lot. He’s also changed the person helping him with mental preparation, he’s taken a path I also advised him to follow, and I’m sure we’ll see improvements. He doesn’t lack speed, but he needs to fully understand what to do in different moments. Bautista is incredibly eager; he’s training very hard. His expectations are high; I prefer to keep them a bit lower. What we didn’t manage to do with Danilo we’d like to do with Alvaro, even though there are many riders who can be competitive in Superbike. There’s a set of rules designed to help manufacturers who are struggling more, and this generates a fair amount of performance balance.”

“I understand his stance and I think the argument he’s making is legitimate. For my part, I’ve decided not to talk about regulations anymore. I accept the rules of the game and I focus on the work needed to make my bikes as competitive as possible.”

“Usually, my predictions never come true. For example, I thought Razgatlioglu wouldn’t win with BMW, yet he won in his first year. I’m convinced that every year the championship becomes more competitive and professional. Ten years ago I was fighting for the top 10 with Baiocco and an almost stock bike; now I have a semi-factory bike and I need a race-winning rider if I want to be competitive. The level has become extremely high and the financial investments are very important. The championship is very good and very hard-fought; that pushes us to invest. When you’re at the front, it’s hugely satisfying. I don’t know who will win the title. Hopefully Bautista, since he wants to win it!”

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