Novak Djokovic, 24-time Grand Slam singles champion, congratulated McLaren on sealing the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship for the first time since 1998 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Notably, 26 years between championships is a record interval for a constructor in F1.
The Serb posted McLaren’s post from its official Instagram handle, where the British company had posted:
“It’s a papaya party over here.”
Congratulating the team in his story, Djokovic added the hashtag, “papaya” Notably, Papaya Orange is the signature color of the McLaren Racing Team, having been chosen by its founder Bruce McLaren.
Britain’s Lando Norris proved to be the decisive factor in Abu Dhabi, edging out Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz from pole position to secure his fourth win of the season and hand his team the constructors’ title. Norris finished second in the Driver’s Championship with 374 points. Oscar Piastri, his McLaren teammate, finished fourth with 292 points.
What has Novak Djokovic been up to?
Novak Djokovic’s only title triumph in 2024 came at the Olympics in Paris, where he outlasted Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in two sets to win the Gold. With the first-place finish at the Olympics, the Serb completed a Career Golden Slam, which had long eluded him. However, he was unable to win any of the majors, with his best display coming at Wimbledon where he made the final.
Novak Djokovic enjoyed a massively successful 2023 season when he clinched three Grand Slams.
The Serbian star will begin his next season with long-time rival, the now-retired Andy Murray, as part of his coaching entourage. The decision to rope in Murray, Djokovic has revealed, stemmed from the fact he was looking for a Grand Slam winner and former No. 1 to coach him after splitting with Goran Ivanisevic earlier this year.
““I realised that the perfect coach for me at this point would be someone that has been through the experiences that I’m going through,” Djokovic explained (via Sky Sports).
In 2025, the Serb has said he plans to go “full throttle” and play more tournaments. In a recent conversation with Gazzetta dello Sport, the Serb insisted that he can still play at the “highest level.”
