Daily Mail F1 writer Jonathan McEvoy banned from paddock by FIA

Jonathan McEvoy, the Daily Mail's F1 correspondent, says the FIA has revoked his media pass for the final three races of the season. He says the decision followed an opinion column in which he called Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc a "sneaky little b******" over a first-lap incident with team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the Mexico City Grand Prix. McEvoy has described the remark as "light hearted" and "joshing".

McEvoy said he was told by the FIA that he would not be allowed to attend the races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. A letter from FIA general manager Alberto Villarreal said the article did not meet the professional standards expected of accredited media. Daily Mail head of sport Chris Dean called the move an unprecedented attack on press freedom.

In a follow-up column, McEvoy also criticised Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, whom he accused of informing on him to the FIA.