Jonathan McEvoy, the Daily Mail's long-serving and distinguished Motor Racing Correspondent, has been banned from attending the remaining races of the 2026 Formula One season by the sport's governing body.

In a barely believable attack on press freedom, the FIA today wrote to the Daily Mail to confirm McEvoy's accreditation had been revoked in response to a column he had written about Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.

McEvoy's comments were made after Leclerc's team-mate, Britain's seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, questioned Leclerc's mentality after the pair were embroiled in a contentious, opening lap clash at last month's Mexico Grand Prix.

McEvoy, who is regarded as the authoritative voice in the paddock, labelled the Monegasque driver a 'sneaky little b*****d' for his behaviour, before revealing details of a tense post-race debrief with Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur.

Thursday's letter, written by FIA general manager Alberto Villarreal, stated: 'The FIA considers that your article falls short of the standards of professionalism expected of media representatives accredited to cover the FIA Formula One World Championship.

'Accordingly, the FIA has decided to exercise its discretion under the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship Accreditation Guidelines to withdraw your media accreditation for the remainder of the 2026 season, with immediate effect.'

McEvoy is held in the highest esteem by the great and good of the sport and has dedicated the last 21 years of his working life to travel tens of thousands of miles to cover almost 400 grands prix for the Daily Mail.

In that time, he has missed only a handful of races.

In such time he has written illuminating, insightful and piercing copy loved by millions of loyal Daily Mail readers.

He has interviewed the sport's biggest names, from Bernie Ecclestone to Sir Jackie Stewart and Christian Horner to Max Verstappen.

Daily Mail head of sport Chris Dean said: '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.

'Jonathan McEvoy is a fearless and first-rate journalist who takes readers behind the curtain of F1's shiny exterior. The FIA should reinstate his accreditation immediately.'

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said: 'It's crazy. I don't know why the FIA would ever do that.

'Apart from the fact I like Jon, he is doing a fantastic job.

'I look forward to reading what he's writing. I don't have to, it's my choice to do that. I think it's completely mad.'

Comment: A tubby little nobody called Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal, had grassed on me, it seems. He's a chuckling buffoon well out of his depth: JONATHAN McEVOY