Daily Mail boycotts final 2026 F1 races after FIA strips McEvoy

The Daily Mail has announced it will boycott the remaining three races of the 2026 Formula 1 season after the FIA revoked veteran correspondent Jonathan McEvoy's accreditation over a column that contained a personal insult directed at Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.

What happened and why

The newspaper said it will not cover the Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, nor attend press conferences for the rest of the 2026 season, following the FIA's decision. The accreditation was withdrawn after a column published on 4 November in which McEvoy described Leclerc as "a sly little c*nt".

The row traces back to a first-lap incident at the Mexican Grand Prix when Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both ran wide at Turn 4. Leclerc rejoined ahead after cutting across the grass, an action that later earned him a five-second penalty for gaining position off-track. Max Verstappen capitalised on the sequence and moved up to second place, and the episode continued to spark debate after the race.

The FIA said McEvoy's column fell below the professional standards expected of accredited journalists and reminded media that accreditation rules allow the federation to withdraw access without prior notice. The federation also pointed out that the Daily Mail could have sent an alternative reporter to cover the events.

Daily Mail sports editor Chris Dean branded the move an unprecedented and scandalous attack on press freedom and demanded McEvoy's accreditation be reinstated. Rather than sending another journalist, the newspaper opted for a full boycott of the remaining races.

An individual close to Ferrari denied allegations that the team influenced the FIA's decision. Meanwhile, McEvoy has been told he will be re‑accredited next season, a claim the FIA has not publicly confirmed. The dispute has drawn wider attention: the Society of Editors criticised the revocation as a potential threat to independent sports journalism.

Photo: press material from the event