Palmer slams Perez's 'silly' move on Cadillac teammate Bottas

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has sharply criticized Sergio Perez for an "audacious" and risky overtaking attempt on his Cadillac teammate Valtteri Bottas during the Chinese Grand Prix. Palmer argued that for the new Cadillac team, simply finishing the race to collect data was paramount, making the aggressive intra-team battle counterproductive and unnecessary.

Why it matters:

For a brand-new F1 team like Cadillac, every race lap in its debut season is critical data. Incidents between teammates that risk damage or retirement directly compromise the primary goal of learning and developing the car. Palmer's critique highlights the delicate balance drivers must strike between racing instinct and team strategy, especially when fighting at the back of the grid with little immediate reward.

The details:

• The incident occurred at Turn 3 after both Cadillacs started near the back of the grid—Bottas 19th and Perez 21st.
• Palmer, commentating for F1 TV, described Perez's late lunge as "so silly" and "really, really not a good bit of driving," noting they were "lucky to get away from that."
• His central argument was that Cadillac's priority should be mileage and data collection, not intense on-track battles. He suggested the team should almost "treat it as a practice session."
• Palmer emphasized that even minor damage, like a broken front wing, costs valuable data on the car's baseline performance.
• When questioned if Perez might not have recognized his teammate, Palmer doubled down, stating the move was poor regardless of the opponent, but was "worse the fact that it's his team-mate."

What's next:

While both cars ultimately finished the race, the incident serves as an early lesson in team management for Cadillac. As the season progresses, establishing clear protocols for intra-team battles—especially when points are unlikely—will be crucial to maximize their learning curve. Drivers Perez and Bottas, both experienced from top teams, will need to adapt their aggressive racing mindsets to the long-term development needs of a brand-new constructor.