Legend Ali drove Haye to the title
The Brit is gunning for a FIFTH win at the Montreal circuit and, in sticking his Silver Arrow on pole yesterday, came up with the fastest lap ever seen at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
After a famous win in Monaco last time out, Hamilton’s breathtaking lap of 1min 12.812secs put title leader Nico Rosberg firmly in the shade.
He said: “After that great win in Monaco, one of my very best, I am conscious I am moving forward.
“It was a tremendous confidence booster. And I am planning a repeat for a fifth win here.
“We are the greatest team – but we still need to refine a few issues.
“I know we are under even more pressure from our rivals but I am as strong as I have ever been and I hope I can show that here.”
The Brit, looking for victory No.45 from 174 starts, and clocking his 53rd pole placing, said: “I know I need to deliver.
“I am as strong as I have always been – and I will get even better. This track is right up my street. It brings out the best in me.” But Hamilton will have his work NICK PARKINSON DAVID HAYE insists he would never have been world heavyweight champion had it not been for Muhammad Ali.
Haye, 35, dethroned Russian Nikolai Valuev for the WBA world title in 2009 and is two fights into a comeback after three years out.
The Londoner reckons that there will never be another sports star who comes close to three-time world heavyweight champion Ali, who died aged 74 earlier this month and whose funeral was in Louisville, USA, on Friday night.
Haye (pictured below at the I Am The Greatest – Muhammad Ali exhibition at London’s O2 in March) said: “He’s no longer with us – but when in doubt I will always think, ‘What would Ali do?’
“When I was fighting a 7ft 2ins, 22-stone Russian who had never been beaten before I thought, ‘How would Ali have fought him?’
“He would have moved, jabbed, counter-punched, boxed and not got hit.
“We thought, ‘We’re going to do exactly what Ali would do’ – and it worked.
“His balance, punch