Sebastian Vettel: “Blind spot” in mirrors leaves drivers guessing

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel has said that the mirrors on current Formula 1 cars leave drivers guessing as to where other cars are due to a “blind spot” after near collision with Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap of the Mexican Grand Prix.

It was a Ferrari lockout on the front row with Charles Leclerc first and Vettel second, with Mercedes’ Hamilton third and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in fourth.
 
The Brit had a strong start but had to back out of going alongside Vettel to avoid a “big collision” but the German admitted to not seeing his rival in his blind spot.
 
"I didn't see him. He came after the race as well and asked, but [I had] no intention to push him or anything,” said Vettel (quoted by Motorsport.com).
 
"Obviously, as soon as I saw, I obviously got off and I tried to get in Charles' tow and I checked the mirrors on the right and the mirrors on the left and that's when I saw Lewis and then, you know, I tried to go right but before that point I didn't see him.
 
"We see quite well in the mirrors but there is still obviously an angle that you can't see."
 
Regarding the “blind spot” Vettel feels that it is just something that drivers will have to tolerate as not much can be done about it.
 
"I think the blind spot is as old as the invention of the mirror so not sure we can do much about that," he added.
 
"I think obviously on the first lap a lot of it is guessing where the other people are. Especially when you go into corners.
 
"Most of the time we see it works out, sometimes it doesn't. I think we all try to do our best. We know we can't win the race in the first corner but we can lose it.
 
"I don't think you can do much about it."