FIA temporarily withdraws Jonathan McEvoy’s media accreditation
The federation cites professional standards over a Charles Leclerc column. The Society of Editors calls for accreditation to be restored, criticizing the impact on independent coverage.
The FIA confirmed the temporary withdrawal of Daily Mail Formula 1 correspondent Jonathan McEvoy’s media accreditation in a statement issued to Front Office Sports and published on 13 November. The decision concerns an opinion column about Charles Leclerc published on 4 November.
The federation says the column fell short of the professional standards it expects of accredited journalists. It specifies that the measure concerns the individual reporter and does not prevent the newspaper from nominating another representative.
The FIA’s official 2026 accreditation guidelines state that accreditation is granted at its discretion and can be revoked without notice. They also set requirements for fairness and accuracy. The federation invokes that framework in explaining its decision.
In an official statement on 13 November, the Society of Editors called for the decision to be reversed and McEvoy’s accreditation restored before the next race. Its chief executive, Dawn Alford, condemns the use of access to punish published opinion, arguing that it threatens independent sports journalism.
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