Webber wheel flies off, hits cameraman

Mark Webber was leading the race early on, but had a disastrous pit that put him in last place

A CAMERAMAN is recovering in hospital after being hit by a wheel that came off Australian Mark Webber's Red Bull car at the German Grand Prix.

The wheel flew off the right rear axle of Webber's car during a pit stop after eight laps of the grand prix, won by the Aussie's German teammate Sebastian Vettel.

It bounced through two garages and hit the cameraman, Paul Allen, in the back.

The sport's governing body, the FIA, says the British cameraman was then taken to Koblenz Hospital by helicopter, where he is receiving treatment for a broken collarbone and ribs.

World champions Red Bull were fined 30,000 euro ($A42,811) for an unsafe pit release.

"I hope the guy's okay ... and I very much hope there's no serious damage done,'' Webber said.

A wheel come loose from Mark Webber's tyre during a pit stop at the German Grand Prix.

Webber was running second at the time to Vettel.

It took two-and-a-half minutes before he rejoined the race at the back of the field.

Webber was left disappointed - especially after a rare flying start from third on the grid.

"It was a case of coulda woulda shoulda,'' he said. "A very good result might have been possible today without that incident in the pits.

"I think I could have challenged for the win.

Sebastian Vettel had to work hard, but just pipped Kimi Raikkonen to take the German Grand Prix.

"It would have been tough because Seb had to work hard to stay ahead of the Lotuses, but I would have been up there.

"When you know you have the pace, it makes a result like today all the more frustrating.''

Another incident then slowed the race when after 24 laps a car, without a driver in the cockpit, rolled backwards down the track in front of the oncoming racing field.

The car was the Marussia of Frenchman Jules Bianchi who had jumped out when the backmarkers' machine had suffered an engine failure.

Track staff failed to control it and it slowly rolled, out of control, backwards from its parked position and across the track before stopping after hitting an advertising hoarding.

After Bianchi left his car that had become engulfed in flames it started to roll down the hill interupting the race.

Later Vettel finally won a race on home soil after surviving spells of intense pressure to steer his Red Bull to victory.

But the defending triple world champion had to survive several spells of intense pressure to steer his Red Bull to victory in the German Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old German, who also had never won a race in the month of July, came home narrowly ahead of fast-closing Finn Kimi Raikkonen and his Lotus team-mate Romain Grosjean of France.

Vettel's win was his fourth this year and the 30th of his career and it lifted him 34 points clear of nearest rival, Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, in the drivers' championship.

"It's unbelievable,'' said Vettel. "Kimi was pushing very close in the end, but I was pushing in every lap except from the ones with the safety car.

The car of French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi of Marussia catches fire during the German Formula One Grand Prix race at the Nuerburgring circuit. Picture: Thomas Frey

"I enjoyed today and I could feel Kimi coming and it was quite close with Romain too, but we recovered and I am very happy the race ended after 60 laps -- and not 61 or 62 laps.''

Vettel's win means that in the constructors' series, Red Bull lead with 250 ahead of Mercedes on 183.

Raikkonen, who closed within a second of Vettel at the end as he stretched his record run of points-scoring races to 26, said: "My radio only worked in one part of the circuit and unfortunately today there was quite a lot to discuss.''

Grosjean, who finished third to grab his first podium finish in five races, said: "It's good, it is a good result for the team. I thought I had a good chance, but Sebastian drove very well.

"The team took the decision to put us on different tyres and it worked out in the end.''

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel celebrates on the podium after winning the German Formula One Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring racetrack. Picture: Luca Bruno

Alonso came home fourth ahead of Britons Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Jenson Button of McLaren with Australian Mark Webber seventh in the second Red Bull.

Hamilton started from pole, but fell back and struggled with his tyres before fighting back in the closing stages with some fine passing moves.

"I have nothing positive to say about these tyres,'' said Hamilton. "I don't understand why we struggle so much on them, but the team is working hard and we need to keep pushing.

"I felt I was having such a difficult time and I wanted to know if Nico wasn't having a problem then it must be something with my driving or my set-up.

"But it turned out it wasn't. We didn't have any blowouts this weekend -- but I don't particularly like the tyres.''

Mexican Sergio Perez finished eighth for McLaren ahead of Germans Nico Rosberg in the second Mercedes and Nico Hulkenberg of Sauber.

* * *

German Grand Prix results

1. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Red Bull) 1hr 41min 14.711sec

2. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Lotus) at 1.008

3. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Lotus) 5.830

4. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Ferrari) 7.721

5. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 26.927

6. Jenson Button (GBR/McLaren Mercedes) 27.996

7. Mark Webber (AUS/Red Bull) 37.562

8. Sergio Perez (MEX/McLaren Mercedes) 38.306

9. Nico Rosberg (GER/Mercedes) 46.821

10. Nico Hlkenberg (GER/Sauber) 49.892

11. Paul di Resta (GBR/Force India) 53.771

12. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Scuderia Toro Rosso) 56.975

13. Adrian Sutil (GER/Force India) 57.738

14. Esteban Gutierrez (MEX/Sauber) 1:00.160

15. Pastor Maldonado (VEN/Williams) 1:01.929

16. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Williams) at 1 lap

17. Charles Pic (FRA/Caterham) 1 lap

18. Giedo van der Garde (NED/Caterham) 1 lap

19. Max Chilton (GBR/Marussia) 1 lap.

Only 19 finished.

Retired: Felipe Massa (BRA/Ferrari): 4th lap; Jules Bianchi (FRA/Marussia): 22th lap; Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA/Toro Rosso): 23th lap

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