Merc, Ville, Richards, Clinton in Yas paddock

(GMM) A swarm of members of the Mercedes-Benz executive board on Sunday were spotted in the Brawn garage shaking hands with the new world champions.

It is reported that several key members of the carmaker's board, including its chairman Dieter Zetsche, travelled to Abu Dhabi for talks to speed up a closer collaboration with Brawn next year, and to step away from the current arrangement with McLaren.

Other notable figures in the Yas Marina Circuit paddock are Jacques Villeneuve, who told reporters he is still hoping to be on the 2010 grid, and the Prodrive chief David Richards.

The most powerful face at the vast facility however was Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state.