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Ecclestone moves to improve pit lane safety

ESPN Staff
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A loose wheel hit a cameraman at the German Grand Prix © Getty Images
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Pit lane cameramen will be restricted to the pit wall at future races after Bernie Ecclestone responded to the accident in the pit lane at Sunday's German Grand Prix.

FOM cameraman Paul Allen was hit by a loose wheel from Mark Webber's car at the Nurburgring, following a botched pit stop by the Red Bull crew. Allen is expected to make a full recovery after breaking his collar bone and cracking two ribs, but Ecclestone said safety will be revised at future races to limit the risk of an accident.

"I've been in close contact with everybody who has been dealing with the matter," Ecclestone told Press Association Sport. "It's a terrible thing to say, but it was just one of those things.

"There was a whole bunch of mechanics and the tyre could have hit any one of those guys. The cameraman just happened to be looking the wrong way at the wrong time.

"In future, all our camera crews will only be allowed to film from the pit wall."

The announcement from Ecclestone follows calls from team principals to equip everyone in the pit lane with helmets and overalls.

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