“Lewis Hamilton and purple sectors are back”: F1 fans sent into meltdown after Mercedes ace tops Saturday’s testing session

Lewis Hamilton broke the internet after setting the fastest lap in the final session of pre-season testing on Saturday. It has been a long time since the Briton was last seen in front of the grid, and fans were overwhelmed with the results of the latest round of testing in Bahrain.

However, because it is only testing, there are still doubts regarding Hamilton's title prospects for the upcoming season. But there are many signs that indicate the W14 is much more competitive than its predecessor.

Here are some of the best reactions from the internet after Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap.

"“tell the world that lewis hamilton and purple sectors are back”"

"SLH cookin something in this car. Trust the process."

"It's just testing it's just testing IT'S JUST TESTING"

"We're heading towards the final hour of F1 testing and Hamilton puts his Mercedes in P1 by 0.243s"

"I’m not your “blud” or 'bruv'. We're not even in the same league, let alone in the same family. I'm just watching telly"

"lewis goes p3, is only 2 tenths away from p1 and got fastest sector but this is just testing and it means absolutely nothing:"

"Lewis Hamilton knowing he can cook in the W14"

"Lewis Hamilton with a purple sector on the C4 tyre"

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Lewis Hamilton and George Russell provide high hopes for Mercedes in 2023 during testing

Formula 1 Testing in Bahrain - Day One

The third day of F1's pre-season testing in Bahrain seemed to be dominated by Mercedes. After hydraulic issues forced George Russell to return to the garage early on day two, the young Briton managed to put in the fastest lap of the morning session during the third day of testing. This gave hope to the team's prospects in 2023, with Hamilton's lap during the evening session further bolstering it.

While Mercedes struggled for much of 2022 with the W13, they seem to have fixed their issues towards the end of the season. The Silver Arrows even managed a one-two finish in Brazil, where Russell secured his maiden race win and Hamilton finished second. It was at this point that the team felt confident of a possible return to the top in the upcoming season.

Hamilton also hinted at Mercedes' push for a return to the top later in the season, saying a three-way battle for the 2023 championship was possible. With the data collected during testing and the car's performance, it seems likely that the team will be battling for titles in 2023.