Anthony Beltoise says he saw nothing of Allan McNish's Audi until after contact was made in a huge accident that eliminated the No. 3 Audi from the race in the opening hour of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Beltoise's Luxury Racing Ferrari was entering the right after the Dunlop bridge when McNish came down the inside and clipped the 458, sending the Audi into the barriers at high speed.
Beltoise, who made it back to the pits for repairs, said: "I saw nothing. I was in the corner on my line.
"I checked my mirror on the exit of the chicane and saw nothing. So I take the corner and feel a big shock to the car, and then I see an Audi on its roof. Maybe it's a racing accident, maybe he was too quick to try to pass."
The safety car was deployed and had been out for 45 minutes for the barriers to be repaired. It was expected the race would go green before the end of the second hour.