Our reporter Reem Abulleil takes us to the center of action in Yas Marina Circuit where the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix takes place.

– Abu Dhabi paddock has its say on Grand Prix title climax
– Lewis Hamilton takes inspiration from Martin Luther King

Tension simmering away

There’s no doubt that the word “team-mate” has quite the unique meaning in Formula One – a sport which breeds tension and rivalry between drivers representing the same marque.

That tension was on full display in the pre-race press conference here in Abu Dhabi where Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg kick-started the highly-anticipated battle we will witness on the track this weekend.

You’d struggle to find a sport that holds press conferences like F1. What other sport brings together six of the very best in one room and gets them to trash talk, judge or comment on one another.

As Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Nico Hulkenberg, and the Mercedes duo, filed into the room, and took their seats – split into two rows – you couldn’t help but picture Hulkenberg acting as a buffer between Hamilton and Rosberg.

Hamilton won the prize for ‘Best Poker Face’ as he answered Rosberg-centric questions in a soft voice with monosyllabic responses. Asked if there is anything he could do to ensure tomorrow’s race would be a clean fight, Hamilton said: “I don’t think so.”

But Rosberg interjected and said: “Yes, Lewis can do something to keep it clean, which is drive cleanly himself. So it’s not like he can’t do anything.”

Hamilton’s face remarkably remained unchanged. That poker-face must have taken him years of practice that’s for sure.

Button sees the funny side

Meanwhile, the front row of the presser had a much lighter tone.

It featured three drivers whose 2015 fate had depended on one another.

Vettel has taken Alonso’s seat at Ferrari while Alonso has joined McLaren, who are yet to decide on whether Button will retain his seat alongside the Spaniard or not.

Alonso was asked, if he had the choice, would he pick Button – who was literally sat right next to him – as his team-mate next year? “Hmm…” was his response, as Button pretended to beg him to say yes.

Vettel harnesses his inner ‘Kimi’

Two team-mates who will definitely get along well next year are Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.

Vettel is one of very few people to claim to have any sort of relationship with ‘the Iceman’, who usually keeps to himself and speaks in very few words.

A reporter asked Vettel about his thoughts on teaming up with Raikkonen in 2015. “Will it be easier for you than with anybody else?” To which Vettel succinctly answered: “Yes!”

Following a long pause, the German added with a laugh: “I think he would probably reply the same if you asked him. Kimi is probably the least complicated driver on the grid.”

They haven’t teamed up yet but Vettel is already speaking in Kimi-like terms.