The 2025 Formula 1 season really ramped up to an exciting finish, ending with one of the tightest finales we’ve seen in the sport’s history. Prior to the final race in Abu Dhabi, McLaren’s Lando Norris was clinging to a slim 12-point lead over the ever-persistent Max Verstappen from Red Bull. Plus, his teammate Oscar Piastri was still in the mix, making things even more interesting!

In a nail-biting, strategic showdown, Verstappen pulled off a perfect drive to snag the win. However, Norris was really feeling the heat, having to navigate through traffic and deal with a tough defensive play from Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, and also an early battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was also chasing him down with his new tire compounds. But he totally stepped up and pulled off an incredible performance to grab that all-important third place.

When he crossed the finish line, just 16.5 seconds behind Verstappen, Norris clinched the title of Formula 1’s new world champion by a super close margin of only two points in the final standings, putting an end to Verstappen’s four-year reign. This incredible match, decided by the tiniest of margins, really caught the attention of sports fans everywhere, featuring two of tennis’ biggest names: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic, knowing how important legacy is and feeling the sting of a close loss, shared a touching tribute on his Instagram story. He kicked things off by congratulating the new champion, saying, “Congratulations Lando. What a season! You are a World Champion.” His message also paid tribute to the dethroned king, recognizing Verstappen’s fierce determination: “What an amazing finish Max had. Very close to clinch it all again. Champion mentality.”

In a similar vein, the young Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, who is part of the exciting modern tennis rivalries with Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, had a straightforward yet heartfelt response. Alcaraz shared on his Instagram story, “Many congrats,” giving a shoutout to Norris for his first win. So, the title was pretty spot on.

Before the race, Verstappen secured pole position, and even though Norris was right beside him on the grid, if he dropped to P4, the championship was really his to lose. Norris actually dropped to P2 behind his teammate Piastri right at the start, but he pulled it together and held onto P3, snagging that first WDC he’s been chasing.

Djokovic and Alcaraz’s reactions really give us an interesting look at what elite athletes think and feel, no matter the sport. So, recently, another tennis star was seen hanging around the F1 paddock.

Jannik Sinner was also interested in the title fight between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen

Lando Norris said, “Simply lovely, huh,” right after he clinched victory at the 2024 Dutch GP. And you definitely don’t mess around on Max Verstappen’s turf. Even though the Brit couldn’t get anywhere near Verstappen in 2024, this year was a different story. Red Bull didn’t really give the Dutchman a shot at the championship until the first race after the summer break due to the car not being fast enough.

This title fight really caught the attention of tennis stars like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and even Jannik Sinner. The Italian who had an amazing tennis season in 2025, was spotted in Abu Dhabi enjoying a fun night out with his girlfriend, Laila Hasanovic. But you know what?

The exclusive Billionaire Dubai dinner show had some F1 superstars in attendance as well. The Italian snapped a photo with two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso and Alpine F1 team principal Flavio Briatore. “A star-studded evening at Billionaire Dubai last night with champions Fernando Alonso and Jannik Sinner,” Briatore shared.

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Later, Sinner was spotted taking a hot lap with Mercedes’ rookie, Kimi Antonelli. Well, Sinner opted to skip the Davis Cup Finals and focus on a lengthier pre-season in order to be in peak condition for his title defense at the Australian Open. This gave him the proper amount of time to spend his time around the F1 paddock.