FIA president under fire after stepping in over Alonso’s uncertain F1 future

Lawrence Stroll’s team is enduring a hugely challenging 2026 season. Despite the arrival of a heavyweight figure like Adrian Newey, the AMR26 has consistently found itself well away from the competitive end of the grid, scoring just three points across the opening 15 races, all of which have come from the two-time World Champion.

Ben Sulayem has recently made clear that he does not want Fernando Alonso to leave Formula 1 because of Aston Martin’s current struggles. He stressed that the two-time World Champion should be able to decide when to step away from the sport on his own terms, rather than being forced out by poor results. He also indicated that he wants to understand what could be done to help improve Alonso’s situation and the team’s results.

Speaking on the Red Flags Podcast, the Italian-American argued that a place in Formula 1 must be earned rather than considered something a driver or team is entitled to. He also dismissed the idea that helping Aston Martin should be the FIA's responsibility, pointing out that the team must solve its own problems.

He added that other teams, such as Cadillac, could make the same argument if the FIA were to intervene on Aston Martin's behalf. Steiner suggested that Cadillac would need even more assistance than Aston Martin, while stressing that the latter has the resources and ability to improve its own situation.