HIGHLIGHTS: Enjoy the best action from Day 1 of the Official Pre-Season Test in Bahrain

The Official Pre-Season Test got under way beneath the beating sun at the Bahrain International Circuit – and things were certainly hotting up out on track.

With temperatures soaring in the morning session, Charles Leclerc set the pace early on for Ferrari on the medium compound tyre. His time couldn’t be beaten despite plenty of laps being laid down as the field got to work testing out plenty of updates since these cars last ran in Barcelona.

But it wasn’t the timing sheets that got tongues wagging, rather the look of the Mercedes W13, which far and away superseded the track action. The Silver Arrows have gone for a very different design for their sidepods, which raised eyebrows up and down the paddock.

READ MORE: Wolff ‘really proud’ of striking Mercedes sidepod concept after it debuts in Bahrain

Roll on the afternoon session and the red flags came out not once but twice – first for debris that Lance Stroll had accidentally discarded from his AMR22, and later for Sergio Perez, who spun in the much cooler evening conditions.

Hit play on the video above to catch the best of the action from Bahrain.

F1 TV Pro subscribers can watch Bahrain pre-season testing live and on demand, access exclusive live timing, as well as Tech Talk debriefs. Subscribe now and save 20% on your Annual F1 TV Pro subscription. Offer Valid in selected territories on web and apps until March 13. T&Cs apply

Coverage of the Official Pre-Season Test is also available live in selected territories via your F1 broadcaster.