Rafael Nadal had plenty of magical moments during his two-decade tennis career, most notably 14 French Open titles. But waving the checkered flag at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix as Kimi Antonelli crossed the finish line in March was a special experience of a different kind.
“Anything can happen at any moment,” he said to TNT Sports at the race. “I’m a big fan.”
Over the last few years, Formula 1 has become the sport du jour for other athletes to see and be seen. With 22 Grands Prix annually around the world, Formula 1 is now a high-end playground for many famous athletes, including the tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams, the Olympic gold medalist skier Mikaela Shiffrin, the golfer Ian Poulter and the Olympic gold medalist sprinter Noah Lyles.
At the Miami race, members of the Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins toured the paddock, trading athletic gear and taking selfies with the drivers. This enthusiasm has also translated to significant investment.
In 2023, the N.F.L. player Travis Kelce; his brother, Jason; the quarterback Patrick Mahomes; the golfer Rory McIlroy; the boxer Anthony Joshua; and the soccer players Trent Alexander-Arnold and Juan Mata were part of a group that invested in the Alpine Formula 1 team.
Stefano Domenicali, the chief executive of Formula 1, said in a video email last month that he understood why athletes were drawn to Formula 1.
“I believe that the top-level athletes immediately identify with the values that F1 embodies everyday — discipline, constant pressure, attention to details and the ability to perform in stressful moments,” he said. “In recent years a wonderful and genuine relationship has developed between Formula 1 and many champions from other sports. Ultimately, those who compete at the very highest level in sport speak the same language, even if they compete in different disciplines.”
Soccer is a prime example of that crossover. Kylian Mbappé, the Real Madrid forward, attended the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, and the Brazilian legend Neymar was at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. Robert Lewandowski of Poland, who waved the checkered flag at last year’s Spanish Grand Prix, has been an F1 fan since he was a child and looked up to Michael Schumacher, who won seven drivers’ titles, mostly with Ferrari.
Before the Miami Grand Prix, Lionel Messi, the Argentine soccer sensation for Inter Miami, hosted his countryman Franco Colapinto, 23, who drives for Alpine, at his team’s training facility. Messi gave Colapinto plenty of advice, including how to handle outside pressure.
Athletes hobnobbing with other athletes is nothing new. John McEnroe is often courtside at New York Knicks games, and the Olympic gold medalist skier Lindsey Vonn loved to sidle up next to Roger Federer at Wimbledon.
Formula 1 and professional tennis have developed a particularly synergistic relationship over the last several years. Part of the reason is the deep friendship between Domenicali and Andrea Gaudenzi, the chairman of the Association of Tennis Professionals, both of whom grew up in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, known for its production of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Maseratis.
“We are similar in that both of our sports are star-driven,” Gaudenzi said during a video interview last month. “Our athletes also have a lot of similarities. They live on the road. They are alone in the hotel room and then, ultimately, on the court or in the car. In the car you race against yourself, and on the court you play within yourself.”
Jannik Sinner, the world’s No. 1-ranked tennis player, has been a fan of car racing since he was a child, and he and his father had a Sunday afternoon ritual to watch Formula 1 races together.
Sinner now lives in Monaco and has gotten to know several drivers, including George Russell, Antonelli, Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon. When Sinner won the year-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, last November, Antonelli joined him on the court.
“Outside of tennis it’s my biggest passion,” Sinner, who waved the checkered flag at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, said about Formula 1 in an interview last month. “I also like to drive cars.”
Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 U.S. Open tennis champion, has attended several races and has toured the McLaren factory in England. He doesn’t see as many similarities to tennis.
“In tennis we have the equipment, which is very important, but you can decide how the equipment is going to be used,” he said in an interview last month. “A car is very complex. Even if you see that one driver is better than the other, they do depend a lot on the car.”
Casper Ruud, who has reached three major finals in tennis, became captivated with the racing series after watching the intense rivalry between the Mercedes teammates Hamilton and Nico Rosberg a decade ago.
“Hamilton set the benchmark for how good you could become as a driver,” Ruud said in an interview last month. “And I like his personality. He always seems kind of humble and like a great guy.”
Ruud attended the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2025, was able to tour some garages and came away even more impressed.
“The whole setup is incredible. You think a tennis player has a big team around him, and they have hundreds of people working for them. Just seeing the sport and the engines and how the technology of the cars has changed was really interesting.”
Domenicali said Formula 1 had more similarities than differences with other sports.
“I believe the real common ground is managing pressure,” said Domenicali, who especially admires Sinner for his instincts on the court and his ability to keep a clear head in the most intense moments. “In Formula 1, just like in tennis and golf, the slightest detail is enough to completely change the outcome. We are talking about a sport where mental preparation counts just as much as natural talent.
“And then there is another aspect” he added. “The constant quest for improvement. Great champions are never truly satisfied. They always want to find the extra something within themselves. Today, all of these sports have become global phenomenon, capable of uniting different cultures, generations and audiences. It’s wonderful to see athletes supporting and respecting one another”
Formula 1 drivers also earn respect from other athletes because, at more than 200 miles an hour, drivers put their lives at risk every time they compete.
In last year’s “F1: The Movie,” the aging driver Sonny Hayes, played by Brad Pitt, crashes during a race. His team owner, played by Javier Bardem, cautions him against racing again.
As Pitt lies in a hospital bed, Bardem looks at him and says, “Why do we do this? What’s wrong with tennis, huh? Or golf?”
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