World No. 1 Jannik Sinner attended the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and also spent some time with world champion Max Verstappen.
Jannik Sinner was at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday (December 8), the last Formula 1 race of the season and waved the chequered flag at the end of the race.
Before the race, he also posed for a picture with four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen.
Later, Sinner sat for an interview where he was asked whether he and Carlos Alcaraz were the Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton of tennis. But the Italian did not give a straight answer as for both him and Verstappen the family comes first.
I spoke with Max a little while ago, and we were commenting on some of his words. He said that he doesn’t chase other drivers’ records, because he also loves being with his family. We are athletes, but we are also people: friends and family are the most important things. I try to do the best I can in tennis.
Jannik Sinner told Corriere Della Sera
Hamilton is considered Verstappen’s arch-rival in F1, just like Sinner and Alcaraz are in tennis. When asked about the comparison between Alcaraz and Hamilton, the 23-year-old explained why he can’t compare them.
Hamilton has more experience, it’s difficult to make comparisons even if on the field, as in the car, we are alone. But the solidity and consistency that Max has had is impressive.
Jannik Sinner added
Apart from the 23-year-old, women’s World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, Paula Badosa, and Grigor Dimitrov also attended the event.
Jannik Sinner reveals how tennis is different from F1
Jannik Sinner has always followed F1 as a child and in that same interview, he revealed his first memory was linked to former F1 driver Michael Schumacher’s brain injury he suffered while he was skiing. After years of following F1, Sinner explained how tennis players are different than drivers.
I don’t know how they do it: they interview them two minutes before getting in the car, they put on their helmets, and off they go. In tennis, it’s not like that.
Jannik Sinner said
The World No.1 will be hoping to hear positive news from the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in February next year about his doping case. If the CAS doesn’t ban him, then the two-time Grand Slam champion would be hoping to keep the momentum going following a successful 2024 season as he clinched eight titles on the ATP Tour.
