WATCH: Aron Canet’s miraculous escape will have your heart in your mouth

Aron Canet has some lucky stars to thank after avoiding catastrophe in this startling near-miss during Moto2 qualifying at Portimao

Aron Canet - Aspar Moto2

It’s a fact of racing that accidents can and will happen, but what’s even truer for motorcycle racing is that the original crash itself is only part of the potential problem.

This was no better demonstrated by Moto2 rider Aron Canet, who will have no doubt been looking to the skies for thanks after miraculously getting away with what could have been a bigger accident we wouldn’t want to imagine when he crashed during Moto2 qualifying at Portimao.

The original incident itself was innocuous enough, Canet losing his machine out of Turn 8, enough to send both him and his bike skating over the brow of Portimao’s famous crest - which at MotoGP level mimics a Cadwell Park leap - and luging down the other side.

However, the brow of hill means you are unsighted for the pack behind and in Canet’s case they were coming thick and fast with no knowledge beyonda yellow flag of where the Spaniard was stricken on track.

Fortunately, Canet - with adrenaline no doubt coursing through his body and his pupils stretching wide - managed to play dodgeball with the incoming bikes before scrambling to the side of the track. Let’s just say, your heart will be in your mouth when you watch this…

Competing with the Aspar SpeedUp team-mate, Canet stepped up to Moto2 this season and is due to end his campaign as the highest-placed rookie in the standings.