Alcaraz Visits F1 Stars Alonso & Sainz in Bahrain Before Doha Return
World No. 1 takes a paddock pit stop ahead of Qatar Open title bid
February 12, 2026 | 2 min read
SAKHIR, Bahrain — Carlos Alcaraz is trading tennis balls for racing tyres—just for a day.
Fresh from his historic Australian Open triumph, the world No. 1 made a detour to the Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday, where he caught up with compatriots Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz during F1 pre-season testing .
The 22-year-old, a known motorsport enthusiast, visited the Williams garage to spend time with Sainz before heading to Aston Martin to meet two-time world champion Alonso . Both drivers are preparing for the 2026 F1 season, which opens in Melbourne on March 8 .
Alcaraz’s admiration for Alonso runs deep. At January’s Australian Open, he celebrated his semi-final victory over Alexander Zverev by mimicking Alonso’s signature “samurai” gesture—a tribute the F1 veteran acknowledged .
The Spaniard previously attended the 2024 Italian Grand Prix and ranked Alonso as the top driver in a blind F1 ranking exercise alongside ATP stars .
The Bahrain visit is a brief pause before Alcaraz resumes business in Doha. The Qatar ExxonMobil Open (ATP 500) begins February 16, with Alcaraz entering as the top seed . His great rival, world No. 2 Jannik Sinner, headlines the opposite side of the draw .
Alcaraz has never won the Doha title, falling in the quarter-finals last year to Jiri Lehecka. He arrives on a seven-match winning streak after his Melbourne heroics .