Daily Mail boycotts final three Formula 1 races after FIA bans journalist
The British newspaper will not cover Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi after Jonathan McEvoy lost his accreditation over a Charles Leclerc column.
Daily Mail has boycotted the final three Grands Prix of the 2026 Formula 1 season after the FIA revoked Jonathan McEvoy's accreditation over criticism of Charles Leclerc. The Society of Editors and Chris Dean condemned the move as an attack on press freedom.
Key takeaways
- Daily Mail will not cover the final three races of the 2026 season
- FIA revoked Jonathan McEvoy's accreditation over a column criticising Charles Leclerc
- McEvoy called Leclerc a "sneaky little bastard" in a November 4 column
- The ban covers Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi
- Chris Dean called the decision an attack on press freedom
Daily Mail has announced it will boycott the final three Grands Prix of the 2026 Formula 1 season after the FIA revoked journalist Jonathan McEvoy's media accreditation. Grande Prêmio reported that the British newspaper will stop covering races and press conferences in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The dispute follows an opinion column by McEvoy criticising Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.
The controversy began after 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According to Reuters, the FIA informed McEvoy on November 12 that his accreditation had been withdrawn for the remainder of the championship.
Motorsport Week reported that McEvoy discovered his permanent media pass for 2026 had been suspended after receiving a communication from FIA General Manager Alberto Villarreal Gutiérrez.
The FIA argued that the article failed to meet professional requirements and pointed to accreditation rules permitting withdrawal of credentials without advance notice. The governing body 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.
McEvoy has covered Formula 1 for more than two decades and attended almost 400 Grands Prix, GPblog reported. Motorsport Week said McEvoy will resume his duties from the 2027 season onwards, with his accreditation set to be restored after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The FIA has not publicly confirmed that arrangement, according to Reuters.
Chris Dean, the newspaper's head of sport, condemned the sanction and demanded McEvoy's reinstatement. GPblog quoted Dean as saying the Daily Mail was entering dangerous territory when the FIA responded so harshly to mild and justified 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.
The Society of Editors warned that using accreditation to punish a correspondent for what he writes is an abuse of power and sets a precedent that should concern every journalist covering Formula One.
Former Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone supported McEvoy and branded the move as completely mad, Motorsport Week reported.
The controversy has raised questions about whether the sanction could discourage journalists from expressing strong opinions about competitors or officials. 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.
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