Formula 1: NI woman Part of Sky Sports’ coverage of the Bahrain Grand Prix

Sky has added former McLaren and Aston Martin strategy chief Bernie Collins to its F1 expert squad for the 2023 season.

The Fermanagh woman, who was performance engineer at McLaren and head of race strategy at Aston Martin, makes her Sky debut in the paddock at this weekend’s Grand Prix in Jeddah.

Sky says she will be appearing at other races throughout the year, as well as at Sky Studios, and is the first addition to the Sky F1 team since Johnny Herbert and Paul di Resta left during the off-season.

“I am delighted to begin this new chapter with the Sky Sports F1 team and would like to thank them for the opportunity,” said Collins.

“After many years on the pit wall, I am very keen to embrace this new role within Formula 1 from a spectator’s perspective and enhance your racing experience.”

Collins’ role will “help explain and demystify all aspects of team strategy and engineering for Sky Sports F1 viewers old and new.”

The network, which broadcasts every Grand Prix session to viewers in the UK and Ireland, signed a new deal with Formula 1 last year until 2029.

“I’m really looking forward to working with Bernie who will add a new dimension and untapped insight to our programming,” added F1 Sky Sports Director Billy McGinty.

“We hope that our viewers will learn a lot from Bernie about what goes on in the pits and on the pit wall at a race weekend.”

Collins began her career as a trainee at McLaren after graduating from Queen’s University Belfast in 2009.

Three years later, Collins became a performance engineer and became a full-time manager in that role in 2014, working for 2009 World Champion Jenson Button.

She joined Force India in 2015 and helped the team finish fourth in the Constructors Championship the following year.

She makes her debut in Jeddah this weekend alongside Martin Brundle, Nico Rosberg and Damon Hill.