How Carlos Alcaraz fell in love with Formula 1 – From cryptic messages for Alonso to meeting the F1 paddock

The Formula 1 paddock is no stranger to celebrity visitors, but few sporting stars have embraced it quite like Carlos Alcaraz. With the Spanish Grand Prix and US Open finals taking place this weekend, it's the perfect time to revisit the former World No. 1's links to F1, Grand Prix appearances to conversations with Fernando Alonso.

Tennis ace Carlos Alcaraz is back from injury, and will play in the US Open quarter-finals in New York later today, but he also has a close connection with the F1 paddock.

Although not a lifelong F1 fan, the 23-year-old is very loyal when it comes to his compatriots’ success on four wheels and is particularly inspired by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

How Carlos’ compatriot got him into F1

Carlos Alcaraz is very honest that he wasn’t previously a fan of F1 but, thanks to fellow Spaniard Alonso, he’s now much more engaged in the World Championship.

The first public confirmation of this sporting bromance came after Alcaraz’s victory at the 2023 Miami Open quarter-finals – a tournament held inside the Hard Rock Stadium, like the paddock for the Miami Grand Prix – where Alcaraz wrote ‘33? Soon’ on the broadcast camera. Many viewers were left confused at this vague message, but it was a direct call to Alonso ahead of that year’s Australian Grand Prix.

After two podiums at the start of the 2023 season – in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – Alonso’s chances for a 33rd career win looked strong, and so the fun reference showed his support to the two-time World Champion.

Speaking about his love for Formula 1 to the media after the Miami match, Alcaraz said: “Fernando has made me into a Formula 1 fan. He’s made me watch races, made me support him. And what better way to support Fernando than with a message on the camera?”

He went on: “To me it’s crazy what he’s doing at his age. He’s basically in the fight for the Formula 1 World Championship.”

And he revealed that he had thought about what kind of F1 driver he would be: "I would be an aggressive one!”

The Murcia-born player also paid homage to Alonso's iconic celebration from the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix, where he put one leg up and stretched out both arms – a bit like the George Russell T-Pose, before it was a thing.

Visiting the paddock

After beginning his close friendship with Alonso, the next step was naturally getting the Spanish star to a Grand Prix despite his busy tennis schedule. Alcaraz and Matteo Berrettini were both able to enjoy the magic of the 2024 Italian Grand Prix after second-round exits at that year's US Open. Berrettini was also in attendance at Monza this year, where his fellow Italian Kimi Antonelli charged from 19th on the grid to claim a stunning victory.

Alcaraz was back again in 2026, visiting the F1 Paddock across the Bahrain pre-season testing as he was in the area for a tournament. From there he spent time in a variety of garages, including McLaren, Aston Martin, Williams and Ferrari, filming content with his countrymen.

Carlos², as it was affectionately described by Williams, saw Alcaraz catch up with Carlos Sainz over the testing day, but rather than chat about cars or tennis the subject naturally gravitated to...yep, you guessed it: golf.

It was then time to visit the Aston Martin garage, and plenty of hugs were shared between Alcaraz and his hero Alonso, before a garage tour and a chance to listen into the team radio.

There are also photos of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc with the tennis star in the Scuderia Ferrari hub.

F1’s obsession with tennis

Current World Number 1 Jannik Sinner – who is currently out of play with injury – was present at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, and is known to be a close friend of drivers’ standings leader Antonelli, with the two both being Italian sporting stars. Sinner became a Friend of F1 in 2023, and has been present at several events over the past few seasons, even waving the chequered flag for the Abu Dhabi season finale in 2024.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Berrettini have all been spotted in the Formula 1 paddock this season, but the fixation between tennis and F1 works both ways. The ball has been in the other court – literally – when drivers have been courtside watching tennis tournaments.

During a break in races earlier this year, several of the grid made the trip to the Monte Carlo Masters to watch some excellent tennis up close. In one day, Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman, Oscar Piastri and Alexander Albon all posed for a photograph with Sinner, later watching from courtside, with Leclerc and Russell also attending matches during the clay tournament.

Plenty of the grid also headed to Wimbledon this summer, with Russell, Bearman and Liam Lawson all in attendance, as well as Antonelli who watched from the Royal Box alongside tennis legend Roger Federer.