Toto Wolff backs FIA intervention after Ben Sulayem’s Alonso rally cry

Toto Wolff says it would be “fair” for the FIA to use the ADUO system to provide Honda with further assistance after president Mohammed Ben Sulayem revealed he wants to do more to help Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin team.

Honda has struggled this season on its return to Formula 1 with Aston Martin, with its internal combustion engine ranked as the lowest-performing in the first two rounds of Formula 1’s new Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities [ADUO] system.

Toto Wolff backs more FIA support for Honda

Introducing a new engine formula this season, the ADUO system was put in place by the FIA to assist any power unit manufacturer lagging behind its rivals to close the gap.

Given the disparity, according to the FIA, between Red Bull’s leading ICE and Honda’s, in May the FIA announced tweaks to the ADUO process, including allocating extra hours on the test bench for struggling power unit manufacturers.

While originally the worst-performing engine was regarded as one that was more than eight per cent off the best and was capped at 190 hours of test bench hours, the FIA added an additional category for a PUM that is 10 per cent off the best-performing. That category increases the allowance to 230 hours on the test bench.

Additionally, the financial regulations were also revised to allow a PUM more than 10 per cent behind to make an $11million downward adjustment for the reporting period, albeit only in its inaugural season.

Ben Sulayem wants to do more.

Speaking at the New Economy Forum in Madrid, Ben Sulayem said: “There is no way we can allow Fernando to leave. 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.”

He continued: “I met with the owner, with Lawrence, yesterday, and I am going to do the changes.”

However, any changes that the FIA proposes will have to put to a vote.

Wolff says Mercedes would support giving Honda additional help.

“I think ADUO was designed as a catch-up mechanism and that formula was unlocked for Honda. And they need more,” Wolff told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets at the Madring.

“I think the conversation that the president had with Alonso is fair enough.

“We want to have all of these top constructors in the sport. We want them to be competitive and successful.

“Regs are regs for the best of the sport and sometimes maybe they need an adjustment.

“Fair enough, the conversation.”

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies was also supportive.

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“I think as much as we cannot agree all the time, I think as a sport we try to keep a fairly open look at the regulations,” he said.

“You may recall that actually there was a first change in the ADUO regulations done earlier this year, precisely in order to help those who were much behind compared to what was initially voted.

“So, all the teams voted for that. We voted in favour of that for the benefit of the sport.

“As I said, we cannot agree on everything but certainly as stakeholders of the sport, if there is a situation that needs fixing, that needs to be fixed, or needs to be supported, we normally find solutions.

“I’m sure that we will at some stage sit down and discuss the future of the ADUO regulations. The shortfalls, we know some of them, and I’m sure there are a few others to address.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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