SBK, Xavi Vierge Like Iker Lecuona: A Ducati to Rise Again

Yamaha dropped the Catalan rider, but he landed firmly on his feet: with the Panigale V4 R, he will be able to aim for better results than in previous SBK seasons.

It is plain to see that moving from Honda to Ducati transformed Iker Lecuona’s career in the World Superbike Championship. Xavi Vierge is hoping for the same. After four years with the HRC team (alongside Lecuona) and one with the official Yamaha squad, the 29-year-old Barcelona native will ride a Panigale V4 R for the Barni team in 2027. He will replace compatriot Alvaro Bautista, who is still looking for a seat for next year.

Although Lecuona has fared even better by joining the Aruba Ducati factory team, Vierge can consider himself fortunate too. Marco Barnabò’s independent team has shown that it can achieve some very impressive results. In 2026, for the third year in a row, it was named the best independent team in the SBK World Championship. It finished second in the overall team standings, behind only Aruba Ducati and ahead of every other factory outfit. With Yari Montella, the top independent rider, it also managed to place a rider third in the overall standings for the first time.

Vierge is joining a more familiar environment than the ones he has known in recent years, but at the same time, the Barni garage is driven by a strong desire to achieve results, and nothing is left to chance. Barnabò invests heavily in giving his riders the tools to be competitive and is confident he can help the Catalan shine too. In his five years in Superbike, Vierge has claimed just one podium.

Although Yamaha appreciated him both as a person and as a professional during a very difficult year for the Iwata-based manufacturer, his contract was ultimately not renewed: Jack Miller, arriving from MotoGP, will take his place. Now that he has secured a Ducati, Vierge has no reason to regret being “dropped.” He will do his best to show his full potential—something he was unable to do on either the Honda CBR1000RR-R or the Yamaha R1.

He knows he has a great opportunity, perhaps his last in the World Superbike Championship, and wants to give everything to succeed with the Barni team. Lecuona made the most of his chance in 2026 and earned a contract extension through 2028; Vierge will try to follow suit.

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