British brothers make Dakar history after “emotional” run in Saudi Arabia

Two British brothers made their own piece of Dakar history at the 2026 edition of the Saudi Arabia-based rally.

Craig and Carl Searles headed to the Middle East for the start of the 2026 Dakar with a pair of Husqvarna FR450 Rally machines to take part in the event.

Two weeks and over 8,000km of riding after the start in Yanbu, the pair returned there to complete the rally in 72nd (Craig) and 73rd (Carl). In doing so, they became the first British brothers to complete the Dakar in the same year, both of them finishing on-debut with support coming from motorcycle insurance company Bennetts.

For Carl Searles, it was a meaningful achievement for himself and his brother, who were assisted off the bike by their father who drove the support truck.

“Setting off together on the final stage was incredibly emotional and having the whole crowd cheering us on is something we’ll never forget,” said Carl Searles.

“Having completed it, it’s safe to say the Dakar genuinely throws everything at [you]. 

“We want to say a massive thank you to Bennetts and everyone who supported us throughout the rally – their backing gave us the motivation to push on when things were tough, and above all, the biggest thanks go to our dad and the entire team. 

“Without them, there’s no way we would have made it to the finish line.”

Chris Newble – Brand, PR and Events Manager at Bennetts – added: “It has been an incredible fortnight following Craig and Carl [Searles], who, despite having just completed hundreds of kilometres of some of the most challenging riding in the world, still found the time to send us live updates at the end of every stage. 

“What started out as a simple phone call to insure their bikes a few years ago has grown into a fantastic partnership and everyone at Bennetts is genuinely thrilled at their achievements.” 

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