News Summary
- The Daily Mail has announced a boycott of Formula 1’s final three races after the FIA withdrew journalist Jonathan McEvoy’s accreditation.
- The sanction followed a November 4 opinion column in which McEvoy insulted Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc over the Mexican Grand Prix.
- The FIA defended its accreditation standards, while the newspaper and journalism organisations criticised the decision as a threat to press freedom.
British newspaper Daily Mail has announced that it will boycott the final three Grands Prix of the 2026 Formula 1 season after the FIA revoked veteran journalist Jonathan McEvoy’s media accreditation over an opinion column criticising Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. The decision has sparked a dispute over the governing body’s authority to sanction journalists and the boundaries of press freedom in motorsport.
The newspaper confirmed on Friday, November 13, that it would not cover races or press conferences in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The controversy followed a column published by McEvoy on November 4, in which he described Leclerc as a “sneaky little bastard” while discussing the Ferrari driver’s confrontation with teammate Lewis Hamilton at the Mexican Grand Prix.
According to Reuters, the FIA informed McEvoy on November 12 that his accreditation had been withdrawn for the remainder of the championship.
FIA suspends journalist over Leclerc criticism
The dispute originated from the opening stages of the Mexican Grand Prix, when Leclerc and Hamilton fought for position at Turn 4.
Leclerc went off the circuit and crossed the grass before rejoining ahead of his teammate. The Ferrari driver subsequently received a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage outside track limits.
McEvoy criticised the incident in his opinion column, using language that the FIA considered incompatible with the standards expected of accredited journalists.
In its response, the governing body argued that the article failed to meet its professional requirements. It also pointed to accreditation rules permitting the withdrawal of credentials without advance notice.
The FIA emphasised that its decision concerned McEvoy individually and did not prevent the Daily Mail from assigning another reporter to the remaining races.
However, the newspaper rejected that distinction and announced a wider boycott.
Daily Mail calls FIA decision an attack on press freedom
Chris Dean, the newspaper’s head of sport, condemned the sanction and demanded McEvoy’s reinstatement.
The Daily Mail characterised the decision as an attack on press freedom, arguing that the governing body had responded disproportionately to criticism of a driver.
The Society of Editors also criticised the withdrawal of accreditation, warning that using access restrictions against journalists because of published opinions could undermine independent reporting.
McEvoy has covered Formula 1 for more than two decades. According to Reuters, he was informed that his accreditation would return for the 2027 season, although the FIA has not publicly confirmed that arrangement.
The controversy has also raised questions about whether the sanction could discourage journalists from expressing strong opinions about competitors or officials.
However, the FIA maintains that accredited journalists must comply with professional standards, and the dispute involves language directed personally at a driver rather than merely criticism of his racing performance.
Ferrari denies involvement in FIA decision
The controversy has also drawn Ferrari into the discussion.
In a subsequent column, McEvoy suggested that team principal Frédéric Vasseur had played a role in the complaint that led to his suspension.
However, a Ferrari source told The Athletic, as reported by Reuters, that Vasseur had not lodged a complaint.
There is no verified evidence that Ferrari requested the withdrawal of McEvoy’s accreditation. The decision was taken by the FIA, which is responsible for Formula 1 media accreditation.
The original sporting dispute between Leclerc and Hamilton had already been addressed internally by Ferrari following the Mexican Grand Prix.
The team now faces a separate controversy involving the treatment of a journalist who criticised one of its drivers.
Boycott will cover Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi
The Daily Mail says its boycott will remain in place throughout the final three rounds of the championship.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place on November 19–21, followed by Qatar on November 27–29 and Abu Dhabi on December 4–6.
The newspaper’s decision does not affect the FIA’s ability to accredit other journalists or the availability of coverage from other media organisations.
Nevertheless, the dispute places Formula 1’s media-access rules under scrutiny at a time when the championship is preparing for its final races.
The case also presents a broader question for international motorsport: how should governing bodies balance professional conduct requirements with the independence of journalists covering their championships?
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following developments surrounding the FIA’s media accreditation decision and every session of the 2026 Formula 1 championship.
