Viral video: Cameraman narrowly avoids fatal incident at MotoGP

A MotoGP cameraman had a terrifyingly close call during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, as rising Spanish star Pedro Acosta lost control of his Red Bull KTM, sending his bike hurtling directly toward a camera platform.

The incident unfolded during Saturday’s qualifying session at the Hungaroring, where Acosta came off his bike early in the day. Though the 20-year-old sensation was narrowly beaten to pole position by compatriot Marc Marquez, it was his crash — not the results — that stole the spotlight.

After skidding across the gravel, Acosta’s KTM bounced violently and launched toward a nearby camera stand.

In a heart-stopping moment caught on video, the out-of-control machine smashed into the rig just inches from the cameraman, Joao, who was filming the opposite side of the track.

The footage, shared by MotoGP’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, quickly went viral.

“Our cameraman, Joao, avoiding @37_pedroacosta’s bike impact is probably the most shocking video you’ll see today!” the caption read, followed by: “We’re so glad to see he’s ok!”

Spectators and fans flooded social media with messages of relief and disbelief.

“Glad he’s ok and no fans were injured,” one viewer posted. Another simply wrote: “Damn, that was close.”

Amazingly, Joao appeared unfazed in the aftermath. Calm under pressure, he gave a thumbs-up to nearby officials and returned to filming — professional to the core.

Acosta himself made sure to check on Joao after the session, offering a warm embrace and some reassuring words: “I see you’re better now than when it happened.”

The incident served as a stark reminder of the ever-present risks in motorsport — not only for the riders, but for the crew members capturing every millisecond of the action.