Lewis Hamilton once admitted 2009 McLaren F1 scandal was the ‘toughest obstacle’ of his career

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Lewis Hamilton has been through some tough times during his Formula 1 career. The first time he really faced the wrath of the championship was in 2009.

Having just won the drivers’ championship in his second season with McLaren, the Briton was expected to be strong again for his third campaign.

However, it couldn’t have started in much worse fashion. Hamilton’s car was woefully slow, and it was immediately clear that defending his maiden title wouldn’t be possible.

To make matters worse, he was involved in an unnecessary scandal that could have been avoided altogether had he decided not to lie to the FIA.

Prove me wrong: The 2008 British Grand Prix remains Lewis Hamilton’s best win in F1

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Hamilton called McLaren ‘awful’ that season, and really couldn’t get on with a new car produced for a new set of regulations.

At the season-opener, Hamilton was disqualified for lying to the stewards, but the story behind it was fascinating and turned out to be quite the headache for him.

READ MORE: Formula 1 once considered an ‘astonishing’ rule change that would have made Lewis Hamilton an eight-time champion

Lewis Hamilton called the 2009 liegate scandal at McLaren the ‘toughest obstacle’ he faced in F1

At the 2009 Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton finished in fourth place, but was promoted to the podium after the race following a penalty for Jarno Trulli.

He told the stewards that there had been no communication with his race engineer, who came up with the fake tale in the first place, despite being told to let the Italian driver past after he overtook him under yellow flags.

Therefore, it looked as though the Toyota had overtaken him under the safety car, which wasn’t the case. This is where the term ‘Liegate’ comes from, as Hamilton opted to stand by his race engineer’s lies.

He later apologised in front of the media and was disqualified from the race, as Trulli was reinstated, but it was an incredibly difficult time for him, as he recalled in the BBC’s 2009 season review.

“I came to probably the toughest obstacle, toughest challenge in my whole career, my whole life,” he said.

“Which was to sit in front of the camera and tell it, and open up to the people and really apologise in the best way I could.”

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton made one behind the scenes change at McLaren after winning his first F1 title

Why the F1 stewards made a mistake during the 2009 liegate scandal

Originally, the stewards should have accessed the team radio from both drivers. It would have saved a lot of hassle.

Instead, they gave Hamilton and McLaren the opportunity to try and lie their way through a situation, which shouldn’t have been possible.

When everything was reviewed a few weeks later, and they learned the truth, it was too late, and the damage had been done.

Perhaps that’s why all the team radios are much more accessible in modern Formula 1. A repeat of that situation wouldn’t be possible in 2026.