Sports · Motorsport · 48 mins ago
FIA withdraws Daily Mail reporter’s F1 accreditation for rest of season
The FIA withdrew Daily Mail reporter Jonathan McEvoy’s accreditation after a column about Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.
McEvoy had described Leclerc in the column as a “sneaky little b*d.”
The FIA said the article fell short of the professional standards expected of accredited media representatives.
The decision means McEvoy cannot cover the final three rounds of the 2026 Formula One season, in the United States, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
McEvoy said his column took Lewis Hamilton’s side after Hamilton and Leclerc clashed in Mexico, and suggested Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had complained about him.
The FIA’s letter said the pass was withdrawn under its 2026 accreditation rules, with immediate effect for the rest of the season.
The FIA said accreditation would restart next season, according to McEvoy’s account of the letter.
The FIA withdrew Daily Mail Formula 1 correspondent Jonathan McEvoy’s media accreditation for the rest of the 2026 season.
The decision followed a Daily Mail column in which McEvoy described Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc as a “sneaky little b*****d”.
The FIA said the article fell short of the professional standards expected of accredited media representatives.
McEvoy said he believed Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had complained about him, but the sources do not confirm this.
Three rounds remained, in the USA, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
- Who
- The FIA withdrew the accreditation of Daily Mail F1 correspondent Jonathan McEvoy.
- What
- His media pass was withdrawn for the rest of the 2026 season.
- When
- The FIA letter was sent on November 12, 2026, according to RaceFans.
- Where
- The remaining rounds were in the USA, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
- Why
- The FIA said a Daily Mail article about Charles Leclerc fell short of expected professional standards.
The FIA
Jonathan McEvoy
Accreditation decision
The FIA
The FIA said McEvoy’s article fell short of the standards expected of accredited media representatives.
Jonathan McEvoy
McEvoy presented his column as half-humorous and said he had criticised Leclerc after a collision with Lewis Hamilton.
Reason for the decision
The FIA
The FIA cited the article as grounds for withdrawing accreditation.
Jonathan McEvoy
McEvoy suggested Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had complained about him, but the sources do not confirm this.
McEvoy wrote a column criticising Leclerc after his collision with Hamilton.
The FIA informed McEvoy that his accreditation was being withdrawn for the rest of the season.
RaceFans reported that three championship rounds remained, in the USA, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
- Reporter
- Jonathan McEvoy
- Outlet
- Daily Mail
- Accreditation
- Withdrawn for the remainder of the 2026 season
- FIA general manager
- Alberto Villareal
- Remaining rounds
- USA, Qatar and Abu Dhabi
4 sources
F1 journalist claims he has been banned from paddock after Charles Leclerc criticism
Spotlight: FIA pulls F1 reporter’s pass over column calling Leclerc a ‘sneaky b*****d’ | Brief
A tubby little nobody called Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal, had grassed on me, it seems. He's a chuckling buffoon well out of his depth: JONATHAN McEVOY
What people are saying
The FIA considers that your article falls short of the standards of professionalism expected of media representatives accredited to cover the FIA Formula One World Championship
Accordingly, the FIA has decided to exercise its discretion under the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship Accreditation Guidelines to withdraw your media accreditation for the remainder of the 2026 season, with immediate effect.
I wrote what I thought was a half-humorous column taking Hamilton’s side