FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem hinted he is pushing for Formula 1 engine rule changes which will help keep Fernando Alonso in the sport another year, saying it would be "unacceptable" for the Spanish legend to retire as things currently are.
Alonso, 45, is out of contract with Aston Martin at the end of the season but has said he is in no rush to agree an extension into 2027.
The two-time world champion has been forced to endure another season off the pace, with Aston Martin struggling with underperforming engine partner Honda.
Although F1's new regulations have mechanisms for engine manufacturers to catch up with the benchmark power unit, there are still doubts in the paddock about how quickly Honda can close the gap to the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari and Audi.
Speaking ahead of Alonso's home race, Madrid's first Spanish Grand Prix, Ben Sulayem said it would be wrong for Alonso to leave like this.
"There is no way we can allow Fernando to leave -- Alonso, a great champion -- to leave just because of the circumstances," Ben Sulayem said at an event in Madrid ahead of the weekend.
"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."
Alonso had dubbed Aston Martin "the team of the future" -- owner Lawrence Stroll has invested big money in a new F1 facility opposite the Silverstone circuit, as well as technical personnel such as design legend Adrian Newey, in order to turn the team into a front-runner.
However, Aston Martin has scored points just twice this year, both courtesy of Alonso.
Alonso, 2005 and 2006 champion, is widely regarded as one of the sport's modern-era greats, despite not having won a race since 2013.
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Ben Sulayem's comments suggested that as it stands Alonso is leaning towards not staying in F1 for another season and said the regulations should be tweaked further in order to accelerate Honda's recovery.
"I will be speaking to him," the FIA president continued. "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."
F1's Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities rule (ADUO) has already given Honda additional leeway under the cost cap to make additional upgrades on its engine in future, but these bring no guarantee of a big step forward.
In May, the FIA secured the agreement of all teams allow Honda extra money to develop its power unit on the basis its internal combustion engine was 10% off the benchmark set by Red Bull Powertrains. Granting the additional spending power required agreement from all other engine manufacturers in F1.
Ben Sulayem's comments suggest he is exploring whether there are additional ways Honda can be pushed back towards the rest, although it is not yet clear what they would be.
On Thursday during his media day sessions, Alonso made cryptic comments which would suggest there are things taking place behind the scenes.
"I still have some hope that next year's rule will still have to be tweaked again, that this is not the final version," he said.
When Aston Martin's trackside engineering officer, Mike Krack, was asked about Ben Sulayem's comments, he added: "Yes, I read about these discussions as well. So, I think the sport needs someone like that. I think we will all be keen to see Fernando continue.
"And what can be done to accommodate that, I think it will be done. And then I hope we come to a good solution and continue."