FIA withdraws Jonathan McEvoy’s accreditation for 2026 season

The FIA has withdrawn journalist Jonathan McEvoy’s accreditation for the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season, saying an article he wrote fell short of professional standards. The decision means he cannot cover the final three races, according to reports citing the FIA’s letter to him.

McEvoy, a Daily Mail motorsport correspondent, wrote an opinion column about Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc after an incident involving Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton at the Mexican Grand Prix. The column used an insulting description of Leclerc. McEvoy also reported details of a post-race debrief involving the drivers and Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.

In its letter, the FIA said the article did not meet the standards expected of accredited media representatives and cited its 2026 accreditation guidelines. It said the withdrawal applied to McEvoy alone and would not prevent the newspaper from nominating another representative. The FIA’s stated rationale is on the record, but the reports do not identify which specific part of the article it judged to fall short.

The Daily Mail said it would stop reporting on races and press conferences for the season’s final three events in response....