FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem dropped a bombshell, declaring it “not acceptable” for two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to walk away from Formula 1 while his car is stuck in an uncompetitive rut. Talk about a curveball! This isn’t just a casual comment; it’s a direct challenge to a racing legend.
Alonso’s Frustration Boils Over While Aston Martin Struggles
Look, anyone who’s watched Alonso this season knows the guy’s been battling. At 45, his contract with Aston Martin is up at the end of the year, and he’s already said his decision on staying in F1 won’t be made “not soon.” You can’t blame him for holding off, not with how things are going. Aston Martin is stuck in 10th place in the championship, rolling out an “uncompetitive car” all season. And get this: their engine partner, Honda, is literally running the “least powerful” unit on the entire grid. Alonso, the absolute legend, has still managed to score all three of Aston Martin’s points this year. That’s a brutal stat and shows you how much heavy lifting he’s doing.
The FIA Steps In: Can They Really Force a Champion to Stay?
This is where it gets wild. Ben Sulayem isn’t just expressing concern, he’s basically saying the FIA won’t *let* Alonso leave F1 just because of bad circumstances. “There is no way we can allow Fernando to leave… not the way to leave the stage,” he said, adding Alonso “has to be successful and then he leaves whenever he wants, not because he was forced to leave because of the performance.” Ben Sulayem even met Alonso in Madrid, seeing him “very sad.” He told Alonso it’s “not acceptable that you are coming to your own country and now after two times a world champion…” He then brought up something they did legally in May for the team to improve the engine and even asked Alonso directly, “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?” Apparently, the FIA spokesperson clarified this was about the “additional development and upgrade opportunities (Aduo) system,” which allows engine manufacturers more than 2% behind to upgrade designs. But still, the president personally intervening like this? Wild.
So, what does this all mean for the Spanish Grand Prix coming up? Alonso’s contract decision is still “not soon,” but now the head of the entire sport is publicly saying he can’t quit while he’s down. Can the FIA’s Aduo system actually give Honda the boost they need? Or is this just a passionate plea from a former driver that can’t actually dictate a legend’s future? Either way, keep your eyes on Alonso. This saga just got a whole lot more interesting.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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