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.
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“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.