Yari Montella, a proven force in Superbike: the big goal is getting ever closer

Bitter Saturday, then a high-level Sunday for the Campanian rider in Cremona: another confirmation that brings him even closer to his big 2026 goal.

The Superbike weekend at the Cremona Circuit made headlines above all for Nicolò Bulega’s coronation as the new world champion and for Iker Lecuona’s first triple, but there were other riders who shone as well. We wrote about rookie Alberto Surra, on the podium for the first time with the Motocorsa team, but Yari Montella’s performances can’t be overlooked either.

Race 1 ended in disappointment: starting well from fifth on the grid, the Barni Spark Racing Team rider took second place, only to crash between turns 12 and 13, squandering the chance to step onto the podium. Restarting from last, he went down again on lap eight, at turn 10, and retired. A bitter Saturday closed with the awareness that he had the potential to redeem himself in style on Sunday.

In the Superpole Race, Montella lifted his head, finishing fourth, 336 thousandths behind Surra. In Race 2 he got the better of his fellow Italian from the Motocorsa team and took the third step of the podium, behind the factory Aruba Ducati duo of Lecuona and Bulega. It’s the fourteenth podium for the Campanian rider in a 2026 Superbike World Championship that has cemented him as one of the grid’s sure things.

Over the last four rounds he has collected ten podiums, a fourth place and just one retirement. Some believe he deserved a “promotion” to the factory Aruba Ducati team, but he will continue to race for Marco Barnabò’s squad in 2027 as well.

With the results achieved at the Cremona Circuit, Montella has strengthened his third place in the overall standings, 43 points ahead of Alex Lowes. He also leads the Best Independent Rider classification with a 50-point margin over Sam Lowes. With two rounds still to go, he has an excellent chance of holding these positions if he maintains the form shown so far. He could wrap it up already at Estoril (October 9–11), if he gains enough points on his rivals.

The Barni Spark Racing Team cares especially about the bronze medal in the Superbike overall standings, which slipped away in 2025 due to an injury to Danilo Petrucci, who had seemed destined to claim it. With Montella there’s a concrete chance to complete the mission.

Barnabò’s team, which at Cremona was officially crowned Best Independent Team for the third year in a row, is also eyeing the overall team standings with interest: they are currently third, 16 points behind the Bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team. There’s a chance to add a cherry on top of a 2026 Superbike season full of satisfaction, even if there was a sour note in the form of Alvaro Bautista, far from Montella’s performances and set to give up his seat in the garage to Xavi Vierge.

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