Why Did Bernie Collins Leave Aston Martin F1?

When one thinks of F1 racing, the drivers often take center stage in all of the action at overseas courses, Yet it’s the people behind the scenes that can often make a major impact. In fact, one of the most important members of the Aston Martin F1 team is the strategy engineer. 

Often working in direct communication with other members of the team including the data analyst, mechanics, and the driver, their goals are to get the best performance for the driver and automaker’s vehicle on whatever course they’re on.

For the longest time, Bernadette Collins, also known as Bernie Collins to many F1 fans, was head of strategy for their team. Yet in 2022, Ms. Collins left the Aston Martin F1 team for a new role as a sports commentator for Sky Sports, a British sports network, speaking on the same races she used to work on. 

So why did Bernie Collins leave Aston Martin F1? Aston Martin Palm Beach is here to explore what led to Bernette Collins deciding to move from Aston Martin F1 strategist to commentator.

Bernie Collins in the F1 Racing World

When it comes to racing, Bernice Collins had quite a history to begin with. She had developed her interest in motor racing while at Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland. During the last two years, she participated in a Formula Student program launched by the London-based Institute of Mechanical Engineers. 

Applying for a graduate training program with McLaren’s F1 team, Bernette Collins would end up in the design wing of the company, tackling the transmissions of McLaren cars. In 2012, she became a performance engineer. She would serve in that role for both the 2013 Indian Grand Prix and the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

In 2015, she joined the Force India F1 team, becoming a performance and senior strategy engineer. Her abilities as a strategist paid off at that year’s Russian Grand Prix where she scored a podium place for F1 driver Sergio Perez.

With the relaunch of the Aston Martin F1 team and Collin’s role as Head of Strategy, it seemed the ideal position. She was on the floor of a newly reformed team that was geared towards success in F1 races the world over.

Bernie Collins Leaves Aston Martin F1 

Then towards the middle of 2022, F1 fans were surprised to learn that Bernie Collins had left the team. This surprise was even more so when she joined the British-based Sky Sports network as a commentator over F1 racing.

Many were asking why? Why did Bernie Collins leave Aston Martin? In a subsequent interview with the Sky Sports F1 podcast, she reflected on what prompted these decisions and it was something that affected many: the Covid-19 Pandemic.

While she enjoyed everything about F1 racing, the pacing and the number of races per year were getting to be a little too much. During the pandemic, she had time to reflect on her past career choices and decided it might be time to change it up:

“I wanted to achieve more of a home-life balance,” Collins said. “Particularly I think, post the Covid years, you sort of had a bit of a reset and a think about things.”

While she appreciated her time at the Aston Martin F1 team, she stressed that the 23-race calendar can be a challenge. Especially for staff members who are traveling overseas and expected to be at various international racing courses for weeks on end. However, staff rotation has eased much of the pressure this can cause. 

Despite this change, Collins has already garnered a new fanbase from Sky Sports viewers who appreciate her insight and background into F1 racing itself. While she might no longer be helping the team achieve podium places around the world, she can still provide that same knowledge to the fans themselves.

Keep Up With Aston Martin F1 News With Aston Martin Palm Beach

The departure of Bernice Collins is just one of the many things that are happening in the F1 and Aston Martin world. That being the case, Aston Martin Palm Beach is geared towards providing you with the latest Aston Martin news in our Aston Martin research guides and our blog. At the same time, whether you live in Jupiter or Palm Beach Gardens, we’ve got a great selection of new luxury Aston Martin cars in stock if you’re interested in a new vehicle. Experience everything Aston Martin has to offer with Aston Martin Palm Beach!