The remarkable performance progression shown by Yari Montella in the WorldSBK championship this season has been nothing short of extraordinary. After enduring a difficult rookie campaign in 2025 marked by a dozen crashes and finishing down in 18th place overall, the Italian rider has staged a stunning comeback. Heading into the penultimate round of the season at the Circuito do Estoril, he successfully wrapped up the coveted title of the best independent rider ahead of schedule.
The journey for the Barni Spark Racing Team star was far from straightforward, especially as he found himself embroiled in fierce wheel-to-wheel battles against fellow Ducati brand colleagues and formidable rivals on track. Throughout the race weekend in Portugal, he secured finish results of eighth, thirteenth, and fourth in the second main race. Although he encountered an initial contact incident with Lorenzo Baldassarri during race one, the peak of the tension arrived when he clashed with Alex Lowes during the Superpole Race, resulting in a controversial long-lap penalty.
Addressing the penalty decision after the session, the Ducati rider openly expressed his confusion regarding the race direction's verdict. He insisted that the contact was nothing more than a standard racing incident that frequently occurs when competitors fight tooth and nail for position through tight corners. I did not understand the penalty and think it was simply a racing incident, the Italian rider told a small group of journalists. I started from sixth, took the outside line, and saw Alex next to me. I was just defending my position! But I did not see the other rider coming up the inside. When he came closer to Alex, Alex picked up his bike, and we touched. For me, it was normal contact, but the race control decided to give me a long-lap penalty.
Despite the setback and the time lost serving his penalty, his determination remained unshaken during the final main race of the weekend. Starting deep in the mid-pack, he orchestrated a brilliant charge through the field, recovering seven positions to cross the finish line in fourth place. He came agonizingly close to securing a podium finish, missing out on a top-three spot by a mere two seconds after managing his tyre degradation in the closing laps.
Looking ahead to the season finale at Jerez, the 26-year-old rider is riding a wave of momentum and high self-belief. Holding a comfortable 53-point advantage over his closest challenger for third place in the overall world championship standings, he is fully prepared to complete his stellar campaign on a high note. Now we go to Jerez with more serenity and self-confidence, ready to seize our opportunity to lock down third in the standings, he concluded.
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