British newspaper the Daily Mail announced a boycott of Formula 1 coverage after the sport's governing body, the FIA, revoked a veteran journalist's accreditation for the remainder of the 2026 season over a column criticizing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.
Jonathan McEvoy, the newspaper's motor racing correspondent for more than two decades, was notified Thursday that his accreditation had been withdrawn following an opinion piece published on Nov. 4.
The column criticized Leclerc over his opening-lap clash with Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Nov. 1, describing the Monegasque driver as a "sneaky little bastard."
"The FIA considers that the article by Jonathan McEvoy on 4 November fell short of the standards of professionalism expected, and as such his media accreditation has been temporarily withdrawn," the governing body said in a statement to Front Office Sports.
In response, the newspaper announced Friday that it would boycott coverage of the final three races of the season, including race reports and press conferences.
Daily Mail head of sport Chris Dean condemned the decision, calling it "an unprecedented and outrageous attack on the freedom of the Press."
"We are in dangerous territory when the FIA react in such a heavy-handed way to some mild and fair criticism of one driver," he said, calling for McEvoy's immediate reinstatement.
The controversy followed an opening-lap incident at the Mexico City Grand Prix in which Leclerc and Hamilton went off track while battling for the lead, with Leclerc cutting across the grass to emerge ahead of his teammate.
Leclerc received a five-second time penalty for gaining an advantage off track, damaging Ferrari's hopes of winning the race.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen eventually secured victory ahead of Hamilton, while Leclerc finished fourth.
McEvoy defended his column as light-hearted criticism and suggested that Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur had prompted the FIA's decision. However, a Ferrari source told The Athletic that Vasseur had not lodged a complaint.
McEvoy will be barred from covering the remaining three Grands Prix in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi under FIA accreditation.
