Karun Chandhok suspects the FIA will ‘have a look’ at Cadillac’s ‘worrying’ issue in Barcelona

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Karun Chandhok has suspected that Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, will want to ‘have a look’ at Cadillac’s ‘worrying’ issue. 

This weekend, the 2026 Formula 1 campaign resumed with the Barcelona Grand Prix, taking place around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

After McLaren topped FP2 on Friday, it was George Russell who went quickest in FP3 as he finished ahead of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc.

Further down the grid, it was another session to forget for Cadillac as Valtteri Bottas brought out the red flag after being stuck in the gravel.

Speaking on his team radio, Bottas said: “I lost my brake pedals. It’s gone, the pedal is gone. I got very lucky there.”

Karun Chandhok says the FIA will ‘have a look’ at Cadillac’s ‘worrying’ brake issue

Bottas and teammate Sergio Perez both struggled with brake-related issues during last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix and it looks like the problems have carried on in Barcelona.

Reacting on Sky Sports F1, Chandhok suspected that the FIA will want to have a look at Cadillac’s brake issues. 

He said: “He started to go down the gears down the straight to slow the car down, but it wasn’t working.

“That is worrying. The FIA will want to have a look at that, and Perez’s car as well.

“If it’s a mechanical part that has failed on that car the team will 100 per cent need to look at Perez’s car to make sure that car is safe.”

Shortly after the Bottas incident, Perez was reassured via the team radio that the Finn’s problem should not impact him.

Barcelona FP3 ends with three different teams at the top of the charts! What will it take to keep the playing field this level all season long?

Photo credit: McLaren Racing, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Scuderia Ferrari HP Press Office

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Cadillac are taking part in F1 for the very first time, and they were denied their maiden world championship point in Monaco after a starting infringement by Perez.

Meanwhile, Bottas has already been linked with an exit, something the 36-year-old recently rejected.

As per F1’s official website, he said: “I know my situation, the team knows my situation, and they support me 100%, so that’s why from my side it was okay in the end.

“I was actually having my morning coffee, and when I saw the first rumour I kind of laughed about it.

“That’s the kind of negative side of this sport sometimes. Sometimes people just want to make rumours to write stuff and make up stuff. I’ve learned it’s part of it, and it doesn’t really affect me anymore.”