Djokovic was in Qatar as a special guest of the organisers and stole part of the show even before the lights went out. The 24-time Grand Slam champion took part in promotional activities, including a high-profile appearance with Alpine during an on-grid yoga and fitness session, before returning to hand out trophies after the Sprint race.

Icons from different worlds, same grid

Beckham, who has long been associated with major global events and is a star partner of Qatar Airways, swapped the pitch for the pit lane as he toured the paddock and watched the action from trackside. He was part of a heavyweight football contingent in Lusail, alongside former England team-mates Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard, and Gary Neville, all of whom were spotted on the grid ahead of the main race.

The moment that sent social media into overdrive came when Novak Djokovic and Beckham were seen together at the circuit, chatting and posing during the Grand Prix weekend. A wide shared Instagram post captured the meeting and quickly went viral among both football and tennis fanbases.

For David Beckham, the Qatar GP was another stop in a calendar of high-visibility appearances around F1, with the former England captain also featured in content from the race promoter and partners documenting his time in the paddock and hospitality areas. Djokovic, meanwhile, used the visit to underline his growing crossover appeal beyond tennis, mixing with drivers, team personnel and fellow celebrities throughout the weekend.

On a weekend where Max Verstappen and McLaren dominated the sporting headlines on track, the sight of Beckham and Djokovic together in Lusail was a reminder of how modern F1 now functions as a global entertainment – one where the biggest names in sport are just as likely to share a camera frame as the drivers themselves.