There are few more thrilling sights than that of Lewis Hamilton attacking a tight, testing corner while chasing yet another chequered flag.

The puff of tyre smoke from a wheel locked up under braking is evidence that Hamilton has left it until the very last millisecond before seeking to wipe speed from his car, while his instantaneous correction to the steering wheel as the McLaren threatens to pitch into a spin bears testimony to a talent that us mere mortals can only marvel at.

By contrast, Jenson Button is a sporting bore. The world champion's driving style is so smooth that the spectator might think "I could do that".

In reality, of course, you and I would be sloths to Button's cheetah. And the initial thought going into Sunday's first of 19 championship rounds in Bahrain is that, over the full length of a Grand Prix, Hamilton may also struggle to keep pace with his new team-mate.

The reason is tyres and the manner in which drivers look after them, which could make a decisive contribution to the outcome of the 2010 title chase.

For the first time in 17 years, mid-race refuelling has been banned. That means cars will come to the starting grid with three times the weight in fuel that they carried last season.

Skid and slide with a brimming tank and the overly aggressive driver will find he wears his tyres down and loses vital grip a lot quicker than a rival who treats his tyres with care.

Which brings us back to Hamilton, 25, and 30-year-old Button, the first two British world champions competing in the same team since Jim Clark and Graham Hill lined up for Lotus back in 1967.

Button, in Abu Dhabi this week to attend the Laureus World Sports Awards ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix, said: "With a full fuel load of 160kgs at the start of the race, it will be important to look after your tyres. As soon as you have an issue with that much fuel, you can damage them quickly."

Martin Brundle, the former Grand Prix ace who will again lead the BBC's television coverage of the championship, cannot wait until the red lights go out at the newly-lengthened Bahrain International track to find out who will benefit most from the new rule.

He said: "Tyre management and pit-stop decisions will be critical. If this demands a smooth driving style to preserve tyre life, then Button will have the upper hand. If an acrobatic style is needed to drive around handling issues, Hamilton will shine."

But why ban refuelling in the first place? McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said: "A lot of us enjoyed the tactics with fuel stops but I'm not sure the public fully understood.

"The incentive to overtake will be greater and that should contribute to the spectacle this year. Drivers will have to manage fuel and tyres and this could have a massive impact on how the races unfold."

So could the pit stops for a mandatory change of wheels. With refuelling stops lasting up to seven or eight seconds, mechanics could previously take their time swapping wheels.

This season Red Bull believe a pit stop should last no longer than two seconds and their team have even undergone special sessions at Bisham Abbey in order to give Germany's Sebastian Vettel and Aussie Mark Webber the best chance.

Red Bull chief Christian Horner is well aware that Whitmarsh will have his hands full maintaining harmony between Button, newly arrived from Brawn, and Hamilton.

"We go into the year with continuity of drivers," he said. "We also kept working on the concept that served us so well last year. Our designer, Adrian Newey, has come up with another very good car."

Once they had devised their own version of the Brawn team's controversial diffuser, Red Bull became the team to beat last term. Unfortunately, they had lost too much ground to Brawn and were pipped to both the drivers' and constructors' championships. This season could be different.

Horner said: "We have set ourselves very aggressive targets and obviously they are to win the championships."

Vettel, at 22, is nicknamed 'Baby Schumi' because he is seen as heir apparent to countryman Michael Schumacher. But how will the youngster measure right now against the 41-year-old winner of a record seven championships, who makes a dramatic return seeking at least one more title?

Hamilton, for one, believes age will be no barrier to Schumacher, who replaces Button in a Brawn team re-badged Mercedes GP.

He said: "Look at Rubens Barrichello. He rocked it last year and he's 37 years old. So if he can do it, then Michael can."

The rocking and rolling begins on Sunday at high noon. It could be a tyre-smoking spectacle.