Steiner hits back at Ben Sulayem's Alonso intervention: 'Nobody deserves to be there'

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem's pledge to help keep Fernando Alonso in Formula 1 has not gone down well with one former team boss. Guenther Steiner says no driver 'deserves' a seat in the sport, and that Aston Martin's struggles are not the federation's problem.

Why it matters:

Ben Sulayem's intervention touches on a sensitive issue: should the FIA use its influence to help a struggling team retain a star driver? Alonso, a two-time World Champion, is stuck in a car that has scored just three points in 15 races — all of them his. The debate now pits the FIA president's desire to protect a legend against the principle that F1 places must be earned.

The details:

• Aston Martin's AMR26 has been off the pace all season, despite Adrian Newey's arrival. The team sits near the bottom of the constructors' standings.
• Ben Sulayem recently said he wants to understand what can be done to help Alonso and Aston Martin, insisting the Spaniard should leave on his own terms. "There is no way we can allow Fernando to leave... just because of the circumstances," he said.
• Steiner, speaking on the Red Flags Podcast, rejected that mindset. "Nobody deserves to be there... You need to work to be there. You need to want to be there, but not deserve it," he argued.
• He also dismissed the idea that the FIA should step in. "Aston Martin needs to figure that out, that's their problem. That is not the federation's problem."
• Steiner pointed to Cadillac as an example: if the FIA helps Aston Martin, other teams could demand the same. "They need a lot of help, by the way, a lot more than Aston Martin, because Aston Martin can help themselves."

What's next:

Aston Martin has the resources and talent to turn things around — Newey's influence is yet to be felt. But the debate over Ben Sulayem's comments will likely linger. With Alonso's future uncertain, the question is whether the FIA will stay out of it or continue to push for a suitable farewell.