Former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer has called out Sergio Perez for an aggressive overtake on Cadillac teammate Valtteri Bottas during the Chinese Grand Prix. The incident occurred at Turn 3, with both drivers starting near the back of the grid. Palmer argued the team should prioritize data collection over intra-team battles.
Cadillac entered Formula 1 as the 11th team in 2026, fielding experienced drivers Sergio Perez, formerly of Red Bull, and Valtteri Bottas, previously with Mercedes. At the Chinese Grand Prix, Bottas started 19th and Perez 21st. Early in the race, Perez attempted a bold 270-degree move, diving halfway inside at Turn 3 while Bottas defended the apex amid surrounding cars. They avoided a collision and both finished the race despite the risk. Jolyon Palmer, speaking on F1 TV, described the maneuver as 'so silly. Silly is generous.' He emphasized that Cadillac, as newcomers, needed a clean race akin to a practice session to gather vital data on car performance. 'Cadillac just want to get to the end of a race,' Palmer said. He warned that any damage, even to the front wing, would compromise data on intact components. Palmer rejected the idea of Perez not recognizing his teammate, stating, 'If it's not his team-mate, it's still not a good bit of driving. It's just worse the fact that it's his team-mate.' He added that not every driver must emulate aggressive starts like Carlos Sainz or Fernando Alonso to reach the top 10 immediately, as Cadillac prioritized mileage over heroics.
