Sky add ex-McLaren and Aston Martin strategy guru Bernie Collins to their F1 team

Sky Sports have added former McLaren and Aston Martin strategy chief Bernie Collins to their Formula 1 punditry line-up for the 2023 season.

Collins, who was a performance engineer at McLaren and head of race strategy at Aston Martin, will first feature on Sky in the paddock at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend.

Sky say she will feature 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 in the off-season.

“I am really excited to begin this new chapter with the Sky Sports F1 team and want to thank them for the opportunity,” Collins said in a Sky press release.

“After many years on the pit wall I’m keen to embrace this new role within F1 from a viewer’s perspective and enhance their experience of racing.”

Collins’ role will “help explain and demystify all things 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 until 2029 last year.

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

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

Collins will first appear alongside Martin Brundle, Nico Rosberg and Damon Hill in Jeddah this weekend.