Motorsport: Hamilton looks for lucky seven

Lewis Hamilton. Photo / Paul Chiasson

The Canadian Grand Prix may be just what Lewis Hamilton needs to fix a disappointing start to the Formula One season.

Two of the McLaren Mercedes driver's 17 career victories have come on the tightly cornered Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and he won pole position in three of his four previous visits.

Yesterday, the Englishman was quickest again during two 90-minute practice sessions, a good omen for the 2008 world champion who is seeking his first victory in a season in which it seems that everyone else is winning.

"The crowd is incredible every time I come here," said Hamilton.

"As soon as I leave the pits I see the crowd stand up and wave and I try to show them acknowledgment. It's been that way every time I've been here. They really do give me a great boost. I hope that continues."

There have been six different winners in the six races this year and Hamilton hopes to extend that record to seven. He had the pace on one of the unique tracks in the series, a 4.4-kilometre layout that features long straights leading to tight turns.

He led the morning session with a best lap of 1 minute, 15.564 seconds, then bettered that on super-soft tyres in the second at 1m 15.259s, just ahead of championship leader Fernando Alonso's Ferrari at 1m 15.313s.

Alex Tagliani has won the pole for the IndyCar Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Tagliani turned a lap at 215.691mph (347.1km/h) late in yesterday qualifying session to bump Dario Franchitti from the top starting spot. Franchitti went 215.646mph (347.03km/h) to qualify second. Scott Dixon qualified fourth.

-AAP