Watch: ‘Tragedy’ avoided as MotoGP bike strikes trackside camera
KTM MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta in action at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix
A MotoGP cameraman has escaped injury after an out-of-control bike vaulted the barrier and struck his camera at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
KTM rider Pedro Acosta lost control at the high-speed Turn 8 during qualifying at the Balaton Park circuit on Saturday.
MotoGP ‘tragedy’ avoided after bike hits trackside camera at Hungarian GP
The Spaniard’s bike skated through the gravel trap, flipping multiple times before vaulting the catch fencing and striking a trackside camera.
In footage released by MotoGP, the camera operator – known only as Joao – is seen taking avoiding action as the bike reaches a great height and hits his equipment.
Joao miraculously avoided injury in the incident and is seen giving a thumbs up to another camera positioned nearby.
MotoGP confirmed that Joao was unharmed in the incident, writing on social media: “Our cameraman, Joao, avoiding Pedro Acosta’s bike impact is probably the most shocking video you’ll see today! We’re so glad to see he’s OK!”
Acosta later took time to meet Joao in the paddock, presenting the cameraman with a signed memento and inviting him to a tour of the garage.
In a clip released by MotoGP, Joao confirms that “the bike didn’t touch me” but “did hit the camera”, adding: “The camera can be fixed!”
Acosta, who estimates that the bike rose to a height of three metres, tells the cameraman: “Sorry for the scare! Just knowing you’re OK is more than enough!”
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The incident has reignited the debate over the safety of the Balaton Park venue as Hungary returns to the MotoGP calendar this season for the first time since 1992.
Simon Patterson, the prominent MotoGP reporter, took a dim view of the incident, arguing that the relatively short run-off area at such a high-speed corner proved that the Hungarian Grand Prix track isn’t up to standard.
He wrote on social media: “Acosta’s crash was very nearly a tragedy today. This circuit simply isn’t appropriate for MotoGP.”
Patterson later added: “How Dorna [commercial rights holder, now majority owned by Liberty Media] can bring MotoGP to this circuit while at the same time claiming with a straight face that safety is always their number one priority is beyond me.”
Put to him by a fan that MotoGP organisers hold “very, very strict” circuit checks before sanctioning races and will learn from the incident in Hungary, he replied: “If you think that, you’ve very naive.”
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