Guenther Steiner responds to Mohammed Ben Sulayem's comments regarding Fernando Alonso.
Former Haas Formula 1 team leader Guenther Steiner has strongly condemned the remarks from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem regarding potential assistance for Aston Martin to keep Fernando Alonso in the championship.
As Aston Martin endures a challenging 2026 season thus far, Ben Sulayem expressed before the Spanish Grand Prix that it was "unacceptable" for the two-time champion to be struggling and offered to aid in enhancing the team's performance to avert Alonso's retirement.
"There is no way we can allow Fernando to depart - Alonso, a remarkable champion - simply due to the circumstances," Sulayem stated.
"That's not the way to exit the sport. He should achieve success and then leave on his own terms, not because he was compelled to step away due to performance issues."
"I will reach out to him. I told him I noticed he was quite disheartened, and I said, 'Fernando, I understand, it's unacceptable for you to come to your own country and now after being a two-time world champion…'
"We made some adjustments earlier in May, legally supporting the team towards the engine upgrades, and then I told him: 'I'm not going to dictate our plan. Please share what you want because you are the driver, and let me know how we can enhance these results.'
It’s important to highlight that an FIA representative mentioned the comments pertained to the additional development and upgrade opportunities (ADUO) program.
The Spaniard's contract with Aston Martin will conclude at the end of this season, leading to various speculations about a potential transition to Alpine or retirement.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
While on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner addressed Ben Sulayem's comments.
"No one simply deserves to be in any position, not just in Formula 1. You must put in the effort to be there. You need the desire to be there, but it's not about deserving it," Steiner contended.
"What does deserving mean? In my view, no one is entitled to anything in a sport, life is a different matter. To say that Aston Martin needs to resolve their issues, that’s their responsibility. It’s not the federation's concern."
Steiner highlighted other teams facing difficulties in 2026. Cadillac, which entered the grid this season as the 11th team, has yet to secure any points.
"So how should Cadillac respond? Oh, we deserve to be performing better. We require assistance," he added. "They need a great deal of help, by the way, significantly more than Aston Martin, because Aston Martin can take care of themselves and they will do so."
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