PURSUIT OF BOB
It was his 64th pole position and it lines him up as double trouble for his glum chasers in this afternoon’s clash in Barcelona.
The Mercedes triple-champ could be the first driver in more than a decade to snatch a second win on the circuit.
And after yesterday’s brilliant drive – setting the fastest time ever seen at the track – he is hot favourite to win for the 55th time and be first past the flag as he was in 2014.
His upgraded Silver Arrows flyer humbled championship leader Sebastian Vettel in the Fer r a r i who s t a r t s second and outshone team-mate Valtteri Bottas in third.
In the fascinating Formula One numbers game Hammy is now only one pole placing short of genius Ayrton Senna and four adrift of legend Michael Schumacher.
After his embarrassing flop last time out in Russia, when Bottas was quicker than him, Hammy vowed revenge.
And he said: “My pole lap was very good. The car is fun to drive.
“And very quick. The guys have done an amazing job with it.
“Now it is up to me to make it a winner. And I’ll be giving it BRIT Geraint Thomas remains six seconds behind Luxembourg’s Bob Jungels in the Giro d’Italia.
Spain’s Gorka Izagirre held off the pair in the chasing peloton to claim the eighth stage yesterday.
Movistar rider Izagirre attacked from a group of four breakaway riders in the climb leading to the finish and never looked back.
Italian Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida) took second place, five seconds behind with Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) finishing third.