The Daily Mail has announced a boycott of the final three Formula One races of the 2026 season following the FIA’s decision to revoke the media credentials of veteran journalist Jonathan McEvoy. The move came after McEvoy published an opinion piece on November 4 in which he used derogatory language to describe Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The columnist’s harsh critique was sparked by an opening-lap skirmish at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where a battle between Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton led to a penalty for the Ferrari driver.

In response to the ban, the FIA argued that McEvoy’s writing failed to meet the professional standards required for accreditation, asserting their right to remove media personnel who cross the line. However, the Daily Mail has characterized the decision as a dangerous assault on press freedom, with head of sport Chris Dean demanding that the journalist be reinstated immediately. While the Society of Editors has joined the paper in condemning the FIA’s actions as a threat to independent journalism, the governing body maintains that the publication is still free to send a different reporter to cover the remaining Grands Prix in Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.