FIA president set for Fernando Alonso meeting after retirement scare: 'I'll try to make him change his mind'

Mohammed Ben Sulayem looks at Fernando Alonso with an FIA background in a composite picture — Photo: © IMAGO

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FIA president set for Fernando Alonso meeting after retirement scare: 'I'll try to make him change his mind'

Alonso is undecided publicly on his F1 future

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Friday 11 September 2026 19:45

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FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has revealed he is shocked by the prospect of Fernando Alonso retiring from the sport.

Alonso has yet to publicly announce whether he will continue in F1 beyond this season, and told the media at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix that he intends to prolong the waiting further.

The 45-year-old said: "You won't hear any news about my future or 2027 anytime soon. Why? Because it's nice this way."

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The big issue for Alonso is not majorly the poor performance of his Aston Martin team, but the direction of the F1 rules and regulations. The move to 50/50 engine/battery irked the two-time world champion and he blasted the cars as not being fun to drive.

While it is not publicly known what Alonso's intentions are for 2027, Ben Sulayem has been panicked by news he has heard privately, and is desperate to do all he can to keep the Spaniard in the sport.

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Ben Sulayem: Alonso retiring is unacceptable

“There's no way we can allow Fernando Alonso, a great champion, to leave just because of the circumstances. That's not the way to leave the stage.

“He has to be successful, and then he leaves whenever he wants. Not because he was forced to leave because of the performance. I share the issues. The car is not performing.

“I met with the owner with Lawrence [Stroll] yesterday, and I am going to do the changes, and I will talk to him to try to make him change his mind. It's not acceptable. I'm sorry. It's the first time I hear it. I heard some rumours, but when I saw him, he didn't mention it."

Fernando Alonso has hinted he could be about to wave goodbye to F1

After saying he will talk with Alonso to try and and get him to continue in F1, Ben Sulayem has insisted he has pleaded with him to try and tell him what to do to make F1 better.

He added: “I will be speaking to him. I said to him. I saw him very sad. I said, 'Fernando, I understand that you know, like it's not acceptable that you are coming to your own country, and then now after two times the world champion, and you are at the last'.

“We did something earlier in May legally for for the team towards the engine to go and improve, and then I said to him, 'I'm not going to tell you what we are going to do. Please tell me what you want because you are the driver, and come and tell me what do you want us to do to improve these results.'

“Suddenly, you see everything change, and then I get a call, and then I had a meeting yesterday.”