A television camera operator experienced a terrifying moment during Saturday's Hungarian MotoGP qualifying when he barely escaped injury from a flying motorcycle.
The cameraman, identified as Joao, was filming at his position when Spanish rider Pedro Acosta lost control of his Red Bull KTM machine.
The incident occurred whilst Acosta was competing for pole position, ultimately finishing behind fellow Spaniard Marc Marquez. As the motorcycle careered off course, it launched into the air and headed directly towards Joao's camera position.
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In an extraordinary display of fortune, Joao managed to avoid direct contact with the airborne machine, though his camera equipment sustained damage from the impact.
Pedro Acosta's bike went flying into a cameraman
|MOTOGP
The crash sequence began when Acosta's motorcycle left the racing surface and slid across the tarmac. The machine then struck the gravel trap, which sent it airborne in a dangerous trajectory.
The bike bounced upward from the gravel and flew towards the trackside camera positions where broadcast crews were stationed. Joao had been focused on capturing footage from a different area of the circuit when the motorcycle approached his location.
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The dramatic moment was captured on film, showing the machine hurtling through the air before colliding with the camera equipment. Despite the proximity of the impact, the cameraman remained at his post throughout the frightening ordeal.
The footage quickly spread across social media platforms, drawing widespread attention from motorsport fans. MotoGP's official social media account posted the video, describing it as "probably the most shocking video you'll see today" and expressing relief that Joao remained uninjured.
Viewers responded with shock and concern on X. "That must be scary. Hope he's okay," one user commented, whilst another observed: "That's insane. Glad to see nobody got hurt there."
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Pedro Acosta came off his bike in qualifying, leading to the scary moment
|REUTERS
Fans praised Joao's composure, with one fan noting he "hung in there like a true Pro!" Others expressed gratitude that no spectators were harmed during the incident.
"Damn, that was close," another viewer remarked, summarising the general sentiment surrounding the near-catastrophe.
Following the incident, Joao demonstrated remarkable professionalism by signalling his wellbeing with a thumbs-up gesture before resuming his broadcasting duties. His composed reaction to the potentially fatal encounter impressed onlookers.
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Acosta later approached the cameraman to ensure he had not suffered any injuries. "I see you're better now than when it happened," the rider said during their exchange.
"Yeah, I saw you looking up there," Joao responded, to which Acosta acknowledged: "Yeah, yeah. The bike went pretty high."
Our cameraman, Joao, avoiding @37_pedroacosta's bike impact is probably the most shocking video you'll see today! 😮
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) August 23, 2025
We're so glad to see he's ok! 🙏#HungarianGP 🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/o9SslLPDhT
The cameraman made sure to show he was okay
|MOTOGP
When pressed about his condition, Joao confirmed he was unharmed, explaining: "The bike didn't touch me [but] it did hit the camera, luckily."
He concluded: "Well, the camera can be fixed."