Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin struggle puts his F1 future back in focus
SportLocation Formula 1 Desk · 14 Sept 2026 · Archive footage
Fernando Alonso’s future is back in the frame after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said it would be “not acceptable” for the Spaniard to leave Formula 1 while he is still in an uncompetitive car.
Fernando Alonso is back at the centre of the F1 conversation, and not because of a podium or a contract announcement. The latest talking point is his Aston Martin situation: FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has said it would be “not acceptable” for Alonso to leave Formula 1 while he is still stuck in an uncompetitive car.
The comments came at an event in Madrid on Friday, with Ben Sulayem making clear he wants the two-time world champion to stay in the sport. Alonso, 45, is out of contract with Aston Martin at the end of this season and said on Thursday that his decision on whether to remain in F1 would be made “not soon”.
That leaves Aston Martin’s form doing a lot of the talking. The team are 10th in the championship so far this season, and the BBC report says Honda’s power unit is the least powerful on the grid. Alonso has scored all three of Aston Martin’s points this season, which underlines how much the team have leaned on him even in a difficult campaign.
Ben Sulayem also said he had spoken to Alonso and seen him “very sad”, adding that the driver should be successful before he leaves the stage. The FIA later said his remarks were about the sport’s additional development and upgrade opportunities process, but the message remained the same: Alonso’s future is now tied to whether Aston Martin can give him something better to work with.
For now, the story is less about retirement than frustration. Alonso is still there, still racing, and still carrying Aston Martin’s season almost on his own.