Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, has banned Jonathan McEvoy, the Daily Mail’s motor racing correspondent, for an opinion piece he wrote about Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

In the latest example of the FIA’s thin-skinned and overzealous policing of the media, McEvoy, who has covered F1 for the newspaper for more than two decades, has had his pass revoked until the end of the season.

McEvoy labelled the Monegasque driver a “sneaky little b------” for his alleged behaviour in the wake of the Mexico City Grand Prix earlier this month, where he clashed on track with Lewis Hamilton, his Ferrari team-mate.

McEvoy also reported details of a “tense” post-race debrief with Frédéric Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal.

Thursday’s letter, written by Alberto Villarreal, the FIA general manager, 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.”

Chris Dean, the Mail’s head of sport, 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.”

Earlier this year, the FIA revoked the pass of a journalist who had reported on every race for 37 years without missing one.

Bernie Ecclestone, the former F1 chief executive, who during his time in charge generally subscribed to the view that any news was good news, told the Mail: “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.”