NUERBURGRING (AFP) - A Formula One cameraman was hit by an errant flying wheel during a pit stop after eight laps of Sunday's German Grand Prix.

The wheel flew off the right rear axle of Australian Mark Webber's Red Bull car, bounced through two garages and hit the cameraman in the back.

The cameraman was treated immediately by medical staff in the pit lane before being transferred to the circuit medical centre.

Webber, who had been racing in second place, eventually rejoined the race at the back of the field.

The race was then slowed behind the Safety Car after 24 laps on Sunday when 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.