An ongoing row between drivers Jarno Trulli and Adrian Sutil, who crashed acrimoniously in Brazil two weeks ago, continued, and overshadowed an official news conference, here Thursday on the eve of Sunday's inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The veteran Italian Toyota driver and the improving young German who races for Force India crashed in the opening laps of the Brazilian race and were involved in a wild arm-waving argument while the race continued around them.

On Thursday, they sat side by side at a pre-event media briefing and when asked if they had settled their differences proceeded to prove they had not with a spectacular bickering argument that left everyone else laughing.

Trulli, 35, clearly still blamed Sutil for their collision while Sutil, 26, refused to back down in any way and pointed out that it was the Italian's fault for crashing into him - not the other way round.

Trulli said he would discuss the incident properly at Friday's drivers' meeting, and the photographs to prove he was in the right - to which Sutil launched a counter-attack that made Trulli begin to show him photos in a magazine.

"Look, you just wouldn't lift off the power," said Sutil. "And it was the same in Barcelona."

"But in Barcelona I had a spin and you just hit me," said Trulli. "I didn't hit you. You hit me!"

Trulli then said he was pushed on the kerb by Sutil, a move that led to the accident. "But it is not a problem to be on the kerb," said the German.

"Ok..so maybe if you knew the rules?"

"I know the rules."

And so it went on, like two naughty schoolboys at the back of a classroom.

Finally, the mediator turned their attention to the views of two-times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who was driving in his Renault behind them, and had a perfect view of the collision and its aftermath.

"I think it would be better if they went into this in more depth tomorrow at the drivers briefing," said a grinning Ferrari-bound Alonso.

"I think we are doing you both a favour to call this to a stop now," said the mediator. "Next round on Friday!"

The row left the rest of the questions and answers session eclipsed by their snappy dialogue and the laughter.

And, as one seasoned observer said, even the normally-hangdog Finn Kimi Raikkonen was moved to laugh at their banter.