En bref

• Yasir Seaidan’s motorsports career goes way back. After learning and competing on bikes and quads, he became a pioneer of the SSV class that was slowly but surely developing in 2013. Racing in the Middle-East at first he went on to win the SSV FIA World Cup.
• A very successful businessman in real state, this father of five children has had several lives on the Dakar. He first competed on the rally in 2014 in a SSV Polaris. He then switched to a T2 production car before three consecutive appearances in far more powerful beasts such as a Mini (9th in 2020) and the Century buggy.
• For the last two seasons, the 38-year-old decided to move back to the SSV category. 23rd in 2023, he managed his best ever performance on the 2024 Dakar, winning stage 3 and fighting for the win before eventually settling for third spot on the podium with Adrien Metge.
• Part of the very competitive MMP team for the second consecutive year on the last edition, Seaidan enjoyed the help of another Metge in 2024: Michael, Adrien’s brother. While they were very successful in terms of stage wins capturing three of the 13 specials, they sadly had to settle for a disappointing 23rd position overall after witnessing all sorts of issues.
• In 2026, the Saudi driver who competed in two rounds of the W2RC championship (in Abu Dhabi and Morocco) will be registered in the Challenger class with a new co-driver: Frenchman Xavier Flick and in a vehicle prepared by the Nasser Racing Team. After already having a taste of the podium, there’s only one goal left.

• The name Flick is not unknown in the world of rally-raid when Xavier arrives at the age of 25 for his first Dakar in 2021. His father, François, competed in seven editions between 1998 and 2005, achieving three Top 10 finishes in the motorcycle category. The young rider from Montluçon has been following in his father’s footsteps since early childhood.
• Like him, Xavier started out in motocross before turning to enduro, already seeing the natural bridge toward rally-raid. That transition came under the protective wing of David Casteu in 2019. Success followed quickly: first at the Casteu Trophy, then at the Rallye du Maroc, where he won the Enduro Cup (now Rally 3). He also won the Africa Eco Race in the malle-moto category in 2022, finishing 3rd overall.
• His story with the Dakar already includes many chapters. In 2021, the rider from Auvergne crashed on the first day and injured his hip, but still finished 32nd, “on one leg.” He did not start the 2022 edition. When the doors seemed closed for 2023, Michaël Metge opened them by bringing him into the FN Speed team as a co-driver. Back on a bike with Kove in 2024, he was forced to retire after the third day, having ridden nearly 150 km with a broken nose and wrist.
• A member of the Moto Club de Cornouaille, Flick made history with Kove by giving the brand its first victory at the 2023 Baja Morocco. At the most recent Dakar, he took on a development role with a new manufacturer from China: Hoto. A rewarding experience, as he reached the finish in 28th place.
• The motorcycle-to-car crossover continues for the 2026 Dakar, as Flick returns to the co-driver’s seat in the Challenger category, this time alongside Yasir Seaidan. A role he has specialized in throughout the 2025 season, competing in the Rallye du Maroc and several Bajas with Saudi driver Maha Hamali.