FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says it would be "not acceptable" for Fernando Alonso to leave F1 while uncompetitive.

Ben Sulayem said: "I will be speaking to him. I said to him, I saw him very sad, and I said, 'Fernando, I understand, it's not acceptable that you are coming to your own country and now after two times a world champion…'"

"We did something earlier, in May, legally for the team towards the engine to go and improve, and then I said to him: 'I am not going to tell you what we are going to do. Please tell me what you want because you are the driver and come and tell me what do you want us to do to improve these results.'"

An FIA spokesperson said Ben Sulayem was referring to F1's additional development and upgrade opportunities (Aduo) system, which gives engine manufacturers whose power-units are more than 2% behind the best chances to upgrade. "It is a comment about the Aduo process and that he hopes Fernando Alonso stays in the sport," the spokesperson said. "That is all."

Pressed on whether Ben Sulayem was overreaching, the spokesperson said: "He is passionate about the drivers, having been one himself, and I really would not read too much into this."