FIA President: Alonso Shouldn't Leave F1 Uncompetitive

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated that it would be "not acceptable" for Fernando Alonso to leave Formula 1 while in an uncompetitive position. Alonso, a two-time world champion, currently drives for Aston Martin, whose performance this season has seen the team ranked 10th in the championship. According to Ben Sulayem, Alonso, who is 45 years old, has not yet decided whether to continue in F1 after his contract with Aston Martin ends at the season's close. On Thursday, he remarked that his decision would be made "not soon."

At an event held in Madrid on Friday, Ben Sulayem emphasized the need for Alonso to exit the sport on his terms. "There is no way we can allow Fernando to leave - Alonso, a great champion - to leave just because of the circumstances," he asserted. "That’s not the way to leave the stage. He has to be successful and then he leaves whenever he wants, not because he was forced to leave because of the performance."

Ben Sulayem noted the challenges faced by Alonso and his team, particularly highlighting Aston Martin's uncompetitive car and Honda’s power-unit, which is currently the least powerful on the grid. He expressed his understanding of Alonso's feelings, saying, "I saw him very sad, and I said, 'Fernando, I understand, it’s not acceptable that you are coming to your own country and now after two times a world champion…'"

In May, the FIA took steps to aid Aston Martin in improving its power-unit performance through the additional development and upgrade opportunities (Aduo) system. This system allows engine manufacturers, whose designs are evaluated to be more than 2% behind the fastest, to enhance their power-units. Ben Sulayem explained, "I am not going to tell you what we are going to do. Please tell me what you want because you are the driver and come and tell me what do you want us to do to improve these results."

An FIA spokesperson clarified that Ben Sulayem's comments referred specifically to the Aduo process, and he expressed a desire for Alonso to remain in F1. Regarding concerns that Ben Sulayem's comments could be seen as overstepping his authority, the spokesperson emphasized Ben Sulayem's passion for the sport, attributed to his own history as a driver.