Want to know how not to perform on an F1 weekend? Just look at the entire Mercedes team this weekend.

One car retired, the other lapped and pointless but that was just the tip of the iceberg for the Brackley-based team.

Michael Schumacher received a ten-place grid drop in the next race in Belgium for nearly killing his ex-team-mate and the Silver Arrows were fined $50,000 for releasing Nico Rosberg from the pitbox when his tyre wasn’t secured which led to it bouncing down the pit-lane, luckily avoiding seriously injuring anyone.

All the headlines have been about Schumacher and his dirty tricks, which have rightly been pilloried. There is making it difficult for your opponent, but this was too far. Barrichello was a very lucky boy.

I’m not saying Schumacher should have let him past – had he done so he’d have been criticised for that too – but he went a little overboard. It could be argued he was covering the inside, but those people are kidding themselves. He knew what he was doing; he was trying to intimidate his ex-Ferrari-team-mate which failed.

However, taking this incident and calling the German a cheat and a disgrace is not right, either. He has never been given the right respect from some quarters due to his clashes with Hill in ’94 and Villeneuve in ’97. It’s not as if other great drivers such as Prost or Senna never purposely crashed into someone.

Yes, he should never escape criticism for his actions, but he has not been the first, nor will he be the last, to take such underhand tactics.

As for the other incident, it was just as dangerous yet is getting less attention.

The bouncing wheel incident could have been a lot worse. Had it struck a mechanic on the head it could have been fatal.

Ensuring a wheel is properly tightened is basic pit-stop procedure. How they could have released him with a faulty wheel baffles me.

Obviously mistakes can be made in such high pressure situations, especially with Rosberg well set for a solid finish. But checking the wheel nut is secured is of such high importance it is hard to comprehend how it was allowed to happen.

The event ended Rosberg’s race and he could have finished fifth had he left the pit lane properly. Rosberg had out-performed the car in qualifying but had his weekend ruined by a loose wheel.

Were it not for a brave Williams mechanic who caught the tyre, Schumacher’s incident may have been overshadowed.

Mercedes were rightly punished for both offences. Hopefully this is the lowest point of a low season for the team.

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