Toto Wolff has thrown his weight behind Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s efforts to keep Fernando Alonso in Formula 1, suggesting there may be scope for further intervention to help Honda close the gap to its power unit rivals.
The FIA president raised eyebrows with his comments in Madrid, where he revealed that he had personally spoken with Alonso about the situation and discussed what could be done to improve Aston Martin and Honda’s competitiveness.
With Alonso’s contract with Lawrence Stroll’s team expiring at the end of 2026, the Spaniard’s future remains unresolved. And while the 45-year-old has made no decision about whether to continue, the competitiveness of Aston’s Honda-powered AMR26 is inevitably part of the equation.
Ben Sulayem appeared particularly unwilling to accept the possibility that Alonso’s F1 career could end because of the shortcomings of the project, claiming he had already taken steps to help Honda.
“We did something earlier in May, legally, for the team, towards the engine, to go and improve,” Ben Sulayem said.
“Then I said to him [Alonso] ‘I’m not going to tell you what we are going to do. Please tell me what you want because you are the driver - tell me what do you want us to do to improve these results’.”
The FIA president then suggested the conversation had produced an immediate reaction.
“Suddenly you see everything change, and then I get a call, and then I had a meeting yesterday. We are here also to support.”
Wolff sees room to help Honda
Ben Sulayem’s intervention inevitably raised questions about just how far the FIA should go in assisting an individual manufacturer, particularly when Honda’s struggles are playing out within Aston Martin’s own works project.
Yet Wolff sees the situation differently.
The Mercedes boss believes Formula 1’s existing regulations already provide a mechanism designed to help an engine manufacturer – its Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities – that has fallen behind, and indicated that there could be justification for doing more if the circumstances warrant it.
“I think the ADUO in that case was designed as a catch-up mechanism, and that formula was unlocked for Honda,” Wolff said in Madrid last weekend.
“And they need more. And I think the conversation that the president had with Alonso is fair enough.”
Honda introduced a significant power unit upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix after Aston Martin had brought its ‘B-spec’ car to the track in Hungary, but the combination has yet to transform the team's fortunes.
For Wolff, however, the broader concern extends beyond Aston Martin and Alonso. Mercedes has its own interest in seeing established manufacturers and top drivers remain competitive, particularly as Formula 1 seeks to maintain a strong field of constructors.
Keeping Alonso – and Honda – in the fight
“You know, we want to have all of these top constructors in the sport. We want them to be competitive and successful,’ added the Austrian.
“And rules are built to do the best for the sport, and sometimes maybe there needs an adjustment. So, fair enough conversation.”
It is a notably pragmatic endorsement from one of F1’s most influential team principals. Wolff is not arguing specifically for Honda to be handed an advantage, but rather that the regulations should remain flexible enough to address a manufacturer struggling to reach the required level of performance.
The Mercedes chief therefore appears comfortable with the FIA president exploring what can be done to make that possible – provided the rules remain focused on strengthening the sport as a whole.
And with Honda still trying to turn its fortunes around, the outcome could ultimately hinge on whether the manufacturer can give Alonso a reason to believe that the next chapter of his F1 career will be worth staying for.
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
