How Carlos Alcaraz's bromance with Fernando Alonso made him an F1 fan

Here's the thing about modern sporting crossovers: they usually feel like corporate matchmaking. But when tennis star Carlos Alcaraz started following Formula 1, it came straight from a very genuine, very loud allegiance to his compatriot . The 23-year-old wasn't always glued to grands prix. Now, though? He is fully invested in the World Championship, driven entirely by the magic of the two-time World Champion.

The whole world first caught a glimpse of this sporting bromance back at the 2023 Miami Open quarter-finals. Held inside the Hard Rock Stadium, right by the Miami Grand Prix paddock, Alcaraz took to the broadcast camera lens after his victory and scrawled a cryptic '33? Soon'. Fans were baffled. But it was a direct shout-out to Alonso ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, playfully nodding to the strong podium finishes in and Saudi Arabia that had fans dreaming of a 33rd career win. As Alcaraz himself put it to the media after the match, Fernando made him a fan, made him watch the races, and made him support him.

That support even stretched into physical homage. The Murcia-born player mimicked Alonso's iconic celebration from the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix, lifting one leg and stretching out both arms. Speaking on what kind of racing driver he would be if he traded the racket for a steering wheel, the tennis ace admitted he would be an aggressive one. And looking at what Alonso is doing at his age, fighting at the sharp end of the grid, the player called it simply crazy.

Naturally, the next step was getting the tennis star into the paddock. Alcaraz and Matteo Berrettini soaked in the atmosphere at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix following second-round exits at the US Open. Berrettini returned to Monza later, where charged from 19th on the grid to claim a stunning victory. By 2026, Alcaraz was back in the F1 paddock for Bahrain pre-season testing while in the area for a tournament. He toured the garages of McLaren, Aston Martin, Williams, and Ferrari, filming content with his countrymen.