The director of Mercedes in Formula 1, Toto Wolff, has acknowledged that Honda needs more support to be competitive as an engine partner of Aston Martin. This situation has arisen in recent discussions between Fernando Alonso and the FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Aston Martin, with its new engine partner, has faced difficulties in adapting to the new regulations and has been under scrutiny for its lack of competitiveness. Honda made a late U-turn on its decision to withdraw from F1 and has had to organize a new team of engineers to work on the complex 2026 power unit regulations.
Despite expectations, Honda has presented a powerful engine that has proven inadequate, causing Alonso and his teammate, Lance Stroll, to continue finishing at the back of the grid. To find solutions, Alonso has had discussions with Ben Sulayem, where various options have been proposed to improve the current state of the Japanese engine.
Ben Sulayem has expressed that it is unacceptable for Alonso, a recognized champion, to leave the competition due to the lack of performance of his team, arguing that he must have the opportunity to fulfill his potential before making any decision.
Currently, the F1 ADUO system, designed to help teams that fall behind, will be reviewed this season. This review comes with the expectation of how update opportunities are distributed, especially for teams like Mercedes, which have so far benefited from their performance leadership.
In a similar stance, Laurent Mekies, director of Red Bull, has shown support for the initiative to review the ADUO, acknowledging that the goal must be to keep the sport competitive and ensure that all teams have the same opportunities for success.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
