A veteran Formula 1 reporter has been banned from covering the final three races of the 2026 season after insulting Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in a recent column. In addition to that, there is now a dispute over who was responsible for getting him banned.
Jonathan McEvoy, who has covered Formula 1 for the Daily Mail for more than two decades, had his media accreditation revoked on Thursday by the FIA, the sport’s governing body.
According to The Athletic, McEvoy called Charles Leclerc a “sneaky little b——-” in a very critical column that appeared on November 4, in which McEvoy was very critical of the Ferrari driver.
The comments came after the Mexican Grand Prix, where Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton collided at the first corner, costing Ferrari a possible victory. Max Verstappen won the race after Leclerc was penalized.
FIA Bans Reporter Over Charles Leclerc Insult
In a letter sent to Jonathan McEvoy, FIA general manager Alberto Villarreal explained the decision to revoke the reporter’s credentials, preventing him from attending races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. McEvoy can still report on Formula 1. He just won’t be doing it from inside the paddock for the rest of the season.
“The FIA considers that your article falls short of the standards of professionalism expected of media representatives accredited to cover the FIA Formula 1 world championship,” Villarreal wrote.
“Accordingly, the FIA has decided to exercise its discretion under the 2026 FIA Formula 1 world championship accreditation guidelines to withdraw your media accreditation for the remainder of the 2026 season, with immediate effect.”
The Daily Mail wasn’t happy about one of their reporters’ credentials being revoked.
“This is 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,” Chris Dean, the media outlet’s head of sport, said in a statement.
Jonathan McEvoy later accused Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur of reporting him to the FIA, describing his original comments as “light-hearted” and “joshing.” However, a Ferrari source told The Athletic that Vasseur had not complained.
Formula 1 Has Had Other Issues With Reporters
This isn’t the first time Formula 1 has had a dispute involving a reporter. In March, Max Verstappen refused to participate in a press conference until Guardian journalist Giles Richards left the room. Verstappen was reportedly upset by a question Richards asked him after the 2025 season.
Other major sports have also had similar controversies recently.
The Tennessee Titans recently revoked radio host Jared Stillman’s credentials following an exchange involving quarterback Cam Ward. A Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter also lost his credentials following an altercation involving Texas Christian University football players.