Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 future has taken another unexpected turn after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem suggested he wants to help prevent the two-time world champion from leaving the championship because of Aston Martin’s lack of competitiveness. His comments in Madrid have also renewed attention on possible further changes surrounding the 2027 regulations and Honda’s efforts to close its power-unit deficit.
Fernando Alonso had previously said that he would make a decision about his Formula 1 future after the summer break, but the 45-year-old Spaniard has still not clarified what he intends to do in 2027. Speculation increased during the Madrid Grand Prix weekend, with some reports even raising the possibility of Fernando Alonso moving into the World Endurance Championship with Aston Martin if he decides to leave F1.
Fernando Alonso raises questions over the 2027 F1 regulations
One of Fernando Alonso’s recent comments about Formula 1’s 2027 regulations had already attracted attention. While discussing the direction the championship is taking, he suggested that the current version of next season’s rules might not yet be the final one.
“I still have some hope that next year’s rules can be modified further, that this is not the final version,” Fernando Alonso said.
Those words now carry additional significance following comments made by Mohammed Ben Sulayem at the New Economy Forum in Madrid on Friday morning. The FIA president spoke openly about wanting Fernando Alonso to remain in Formula 1 and referred to discussions with Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll about the team’s situation.
Ben Sulayem says Fernando Alonso should not leave because of poor performance
“We absolutely cannot allow Fernando, Alonso, a great champion, to leave just because of the circumstances,” Mohammed Ben Sulayem said. “That is not the way to leave the stage. He has to be successful and then leave when he wants, not because he was forced to leave because of the performance.
“I share the concerns: the car is not performing. As I said, yesterday I met the owner and Alonso, and I intend to make the necessary changes and speak to him to try to make him change his mind. It is unacceptable.
“I told him that I saw him very sad. I told him: ‘Fernando, I understand that it is not acceptable that you come to your own country and now, after being a two-time world champion, you find yourself at the back. In May we did something, within the rules, for the team, on the engine, to try to improve.
“And then I told him: ‘I am not going to tell you what we will do. Please, tell me what you want, because you are the driver, and come and tell me what you want us to do to improve these results.’ Suddenly, you see that everything changes.
“Then I received a phone call and yesterday I had a meeting. We are also here to give our support.”
Could the 2027 rules still change for Aston Martin and Honda?
Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s comments appear to suggest that the FIA is prepared to consider further measures that could help Aston Martin and Honda recover competitiveness, while also increasing the chances of Fernando Alonso remaining in Formula 1.
The FIA president met Lawrence Stroll on Thursday to discuss possible measures aimed at helping Aston Martin improve. This follows changes made earlier in the season to the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system, commonly known as ADUO, which gives struggling power-unit manufacturers additional development opportunities based on their performance deficit.
Honda has been among the manufacturers eligible for extra development allowances under the mechanism as it attempts to close the gap to the leading Formula 1 power units. The issue has become increasingly important for Aston Martin, whose long-term competitiveness depends heavily on Honda’s ability to improve its new-generation engine.
Honda’s future could also be part of the wider Aston Martin discussion
The situation may extend beyond Fernando Alonso’s personal decision about whether to continue racing. Honda’s future competitiveness is also becoming an important part of Aston Martin’s wider Formula 1 project.
After the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, there was discussion of a possible meeting with Mercedes to assess an emergency alternative should Aston Martin’s problems with Honda persist. The possibility of an eventual Aston Martin return to Mercedes power has therefore emerged as a contingency scenario if Honda is unable to make sufficient progress.
That prospect makes the FIA’s approach to Honda’s development opportunities particularly significant. Any further regulatory adjustment would not only affect Fernando Alonso’s immediate future but could also influence Aston Martin’s longer-term power-unit strategy.
FIA spokesperson plays down interpretation of Ben Sulayem remarks
Despite Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s unusually direct comments, an FIA spokesperson speaking to the BBC moved to limit speculation about what the president meant.
“It is a comment about the ADUO process and the hope that Fernando Alonso stays. That’s it. The president is a passionate racer, having been a driver himself, and I wouldn’t read too much into it.”
The clarification suggests there should be caution before interpreting Ben Sulayem’s remarks as confirmation of a new regulatory intervention specifically designed for Aston Martin or Honda. However, his public determination to convince Fernando Alonso to remain in Formula 1, combined with his discussions with Lawrence Stroll, ensures that the Spaniard’s 2027 decision will remain closely linked to both Aston Martin’s competitiveness and the direction of the championship’s regulations.
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