Steiner slams FIA president's offer to help Aston Martin keep Alonso competitive

Guenther Steiner has publicly rebuked FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem for suggesting the governing body could step in to help Aston Martin keep Fernando Alonso competitive, arguing that no team or driver “deserves” preferential treatment in Formula 1.

Ben Sulayem made the remarks ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, saying it was “not acceptable” for the two-time world champion to be uncompetitive at his home race and offering to work with Alonso directly to improve Aston Martin’s situation. “There is no way we can allow Fernando to leave just because of the circumstances,” the FIA president said, adding that he had already spoken with Alonso and asked him what the governing body could do to improve results. An FIA spokesperson later clarified that the comments related to the additional development and upgrade opportunities (ADUO) system.

Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner dismissed the sentiment behind Ben Sulayem’s intervention. “Nobody deserves to be there or be anywhere. Not only in Formula 1. You need to work to be there,” the former Haas principal said. “To say that Aston Martin needs to figure that out — that’s their problem. That is not the federation’s problem.”

Steiner also pointed to the situation facing Cadillac, the 11th team on the grid in their debut 2026 season, who are yet to score a single point. “So what should Cadillac say? Oh, we deserve to be better, we need some help,” he said. “They need a lot of help, by the way, a lot more than Aston Martin, because Aston Martin can help themselves and they will help themselves.”

Alonso is out of contract with the Silverstone-based outfit at the end of the 2026 season. His future has been the subject of considerable speculation, with reports linking him to a return to Alpine as well as the possibility of retirement from the sport.