The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang in Malaysia ended with an eighth-place finish that represented one of Aston Martin and Honda’s more positive results of the season. Fernando Alonso recovered positions to score valuable points, but after the race he turned his attention towards the FIA and criticised the governing body over its handling of the disrupted start procedure.
Fernando Alonso’s comments, reported by several media outlets, were unequivocal: “They will have to give us an explanation. This year I have retired in half of the races and none of them has ever been stopped because of our retirement. Hamilton was stopped at the side of the track and they had to stop the race to allow him to regain his position. It’s a little strange.” He then went even further, adding: “It’s 100% unfair.”
Fernando Alonso accuses FIA over Lewis Hamilton restart
Fernando Alonso accused the FIA of interrupting the starting procedure and restoring the original grid in order to benefit Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari following the software problem affecting the power units. The software involved was supplied and managed by the Federation itself.
The paradox of the beneficiary attacking the FIA
While Fernando Alonso’s criticism has attracted attention, the wider picture appears rather different. For months, the FIA has been working discreetly but concretely to create opportunities for Aston Martin and Honda to recover ground. The argument is not that this is being done for personal reasons, but rather in the broader interests of the championship, with the aim of having more genuine contenders capable of fighting near the front.
Technical sources close to the Federation have said: “Honda’s development is being monitored very closely. A historic manufacturer continuing to struggle in this way is good neither for the show nor for the balance of the championship.”
Other voices within the technical environment have added: “The regulatory changes and the room for interpretation granted on certain aspects of the power unit and aerodynamics are not accidental. There is a desire to help those who are behind recover ground, Aston Martin included.”
While the handling of a software bug under FIA responsibility is being criticised — an issue that affected several cars through no fault of the teams — the same governing body is also creating a path intended to allow Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin and Honda to return to the fight towards the front of the field.
Why Fernando Alonso’s comments risk appearing premature
Criticism remains entirely legitimate. In Formula 1, it is almost a duty when a driver believes he has suffered an injustice. There is, however, also a limit. At the same time as Fernando Alonso is questioning the FIA’s actions, the Federation continues working on mechanisms that can allow Aston Martin and Honda to reduce their deficit at a moment when the British team and Japanese manufacturer need every available opportunity for technical and regulatory recovery.
Statements such as “they stopped the race for Hamilton” are therefore questionable when viewed against what actually happened. Several cars were affected and the software at the centre of the problem originated from the FIA. Above all, the comments appear difficult to reconcile with the broader situation because they come from a driver whose team and power-unit manufacturer are among the potential beneficiaries of measures designed to help struggling competitors close the gap.
A difficult balance for the FIA to maintain
Fernando Alonso remains a driver of enormous stature and has every right to express his concerns. Controversy has often been part of his Formula 1 journey. In this case, however, his accusations against the Federation clash with the wider context surrounding Aston Martin and Honda.
The FIA is not immune from mistakes. At this stage of the 2026 Formula 1 season, however, it is also attempting to support manufacturers that risk falling too far behind. Aston Martin and Honda, given the reliability difficulties they have faced, fall squarely into that category. The wider picture can also be explored through the Formula 1 reliability statistics.
Criticism remains legitimate. But accusing the Federation of favouring another driver while the same governing body is working on mechanisms that could help the accuser’s own technical package recover risks reducing the force of the argument. In this context, the accusations can end up sounding more like noise than a convincing case against the FIA.
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