Video: watch a motorcycle fuel tank explode mid-race

Hollywood spends squillions of pounds making those perfectly formed fireballs you only see on the silver screen. However, a freak accident during the opening lap of Moto2’s trip to Motorland Aragon last Sunday produced a raging fireball that would have brought a smile to even Michael Bay’s face.

Halfway through lap one, Xavi Cardelus went too wide out of a left-hander and wibble-wobbled his way over the kerbs, buckarooing him off his bike. This sent the 600 cc four-stroke cartwheeling across the track and into many tiny pieces.

One of those pieces was the fuel tank, which happened to be full to the brim of race juice at the time. We know what you’re thinking, ‘doesn’t matter, fuel tanks only explode in the movies.’ Oh no they don’t.

As the pack of riders came charging through, one bike lanced the stray fuel tank through the middle and… well, you can guess. A big cloud of fire erupted and engulfed the passing riders – sending them off their bikes.

Luckily, none of the riders involved in the fiery wreck were injured and the race was restarted shortly afterwards with everyone but bikeless Xavi Cardelus on the grid.

Check it out for yourself above.