Fresh from working for Sky Sports F1 in Azerbaijan this weekend, Ignition's Nick Butcher caught up with former Race Strategist & now TV pundit Bernie Collins, to discuss her career and how she has translated the lessons she learnt from the pitwall into business performance and her new career.
Most recently employed as Head of Race Strategy at Aston Martin F1 team, Bernie has 13 years experience working within the Formula One industry. She has travelled to or supported F1 races over a period of 9 seasons across strategy and performance engineering functions. Her first F1 experience was gained at McLaren Racing from 2009-2015, firstly as a Graduate Engineer then Design Engineer, before becoming Performance Engineer and working with drivers such as 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button in 2014. During this time Bernie was selected as one of the '30 under 30' young rising stars of maunfacturing for the "Make it in Great Britain campaign and named in The Manufacturer "Top 100 UK Role Models".
Joining Force India in 2015, which became Racing Point and then Aston Martin F1, Bernie’s role saw her lead race strategy decisions from the pitwall, balancing the information flow from the drivers, engineers and support team back at the factory in Silverstone,which resulted in a famous victory for Sergio Perez in Bahrain in 2020.
Leaving the grid full time in 2022, alongside being one of Ignition Human Performance's Motorsport Speakers and working with a range of our clients, this season Bernie has joined the Sky Sports F1 team to add her race strategy knowledge and experience to their presenter & punditry line up.
Fresh from working for Sky Sports F1 in Azerbaijan this weekend, Ignition's Nick Butcher caught up with former Race Strategist & now TV pundit Bernie Collins, to discuss her career and how she has translated the lessons she learnt from the pitwall into business performance and her new career.
Most recently employed as Head of Race Strategy at Aston Martin F1 team, Bernie has 13 years experience working within the Formula One industry. She has travelled to or supported F1 races over a period of 9 seasons across strategy and performance engineering functions. Her first F1 experience was gained at McLaren Racing from 2009-2015, firstly as a Graduate Engineer then Design Engineer, before becoming Performance Engineer and working with drivers such as 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button in 2014. During this time Bernie was selected as one of the '30 under 30' young rising stars of maunfacturing for the "Make it in Great Britain campaign and named in The Manufacturer "Top 100 UK Role Models".
Joining Force India in 2015, which became Racing Point and then Aston Martin F1, Bernie’s role saw her lead race strategy decisions from the pitwall, balancing the information flow from the drivers, engineers and support team back at the factory in Silverstone,which resulted in a famous victory for Sergio Perez in Bahrain in 2020.
Leaving the grid full time in 2022, alongside being one of Ignition Human Performance's Motorsport Speakers and working with a range of our clients, this season Bernie has joined the Sky Sports F1 team to add her race strategy knowledge and experience to their presenter & punditry line up.
Bernie on the pitwall for Aston Martin F1, where she held the role of Head of Race Strategy (Photo: Aston Martin F1)
Nick Butcher: Hi Bernie, it is great to see you. We have been working together over the past few months since you joined our Motorsport Speakers roster, but tell me how did you end up working in Motorsport?
Bernie Collins: Thank you Nick. It’s great to speak to you too and be part of the Motorsport Speakers roster. How did I get into motorsport? Well I didn’t necessarily set out to join motorsport but I really enjoyed Mathematics and Physics at school so began a Mechanical Engineering degree at university. During this time I took part in the IMechE formula student program which was my first taste of motorsport. From there the opportunity to join McLaren Racing as part of their graduate scheme lead me to motorsport from then onwards.
NB: How did you approach developing race strategies in Formula One, and what were some of the key considerations that you had to take into account?
BC: Strategy in F1 is lots of planning and situation awareness so you begin by, with the help of other engineering functions, building a tyre model and calculating what the fastest race would be in free air (with no other cars to consider). Then you begin to look at specifics for that event for example the effect of traffic or safety car risks or weather conditions and then plan likely races. The model has lots of inputs and the ideal is to be as confident as possible in the accuracy of each of those inputs. As well as the strategy for the race, the strategy department will also contribute to the planning of practice sessions to target which questions or aspects of our model are we most unsure about that we would like to focus on learning.
NB: What are some of the most important lessons that you learned in your time as a Formula One race strategist, and how do you think those lessons could be applied to personal and business performance?
BC: One aspect that I was always personally very focused on was analysis both of good and bad results or in the results of competitors from any decision they have made. This desire to improve even from good results is very important to business I feel.
NB: In your opinion, what are some of the most important skills or qualities that are needed to succeed in the world of Formula One, and how can those skills be translated to other areas of life or business?
BC: Formula One involves a very clearly defined singular goal with everyone in the team selflessly working towards it. We need to operate well as a team and trust other elements to complete their step in the process. There simply isn’t time to repeat calculations or analysis. This allows experts to be trusted in their own field and decisions to be made quickly. Any business that can utilise these elements will become more efficient in the long term and encourage younger staff.
NB: How do you think technology has changed the way race strategy is developed and executed in Formula One, and what lessons can be learned from this for other industries?
BC: Technology and software has allowed the information that strategists have available quickly to multiple significantly. Rather than the 3 sector times a lap from a few years ago now laps of competitors can be broken into many mini segments and analysed using GPS. It means that we have much more information on our competitors. Data has became the centre piece of every decision and fast accurate analysis is key. Companies that can successfully analyse data without being prejudice to the expected answer will succeed.
NB: What advice would you give to someone who is looking to improve their performance, either in a personal or professional context, based on what you have learned from your time in Formula One?
BC: In Formula One it always feels like the scope for improvement is endless and impossible to complete so over the years I have become better at identifying the improvements that have capacity for the greatest gains.
As a Motorsport Speaker, Bernie has presented to a number of businesses on subjects such as "decision making under pressure". Photographed here presenting at Williams F1 for a client (Photo: Ignition Human Performance)
NB: Communication is key in any role or business, but in particular, the communication between the pit wall and the driver is the key between success and failure. With all the information going on in a race how do you decide what to communicate and what not to communicate?
BC: Formula One information transfer is key with many voices involved. Again it goes back to what is the most useful information or what is going to bring the biggest gains.
NB: What are the 3 behaviours from a team or driver that you insist on when unlocking performance?
BC: Common joint goal, Open communication & Psychological safety for all
NB: What is the best high-performance behaviour you have ever observed in someone else that you have either taken on yourself or wished you could do?
BC: Checo was one of the best people I know at moving on quickly after a disappointing session or lap etc. Literally after a poor qualifying he would be in the office asking about the race plan. It always took me a bit longer to recover from a poor session.
NB: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
BC: Always ask "why?". Keep asking till you get the right answer. Never stop at the first one.
NB: What is your favourite motorsport memory?
BC: I think my only race win in Bahrain is very special. We executed the race very well and adapted quickly to changes. With Checo’s future in doubt it was a brilliant way to leave the team.
Nick and Bernie, with their respective partners Paula and Ryan, in the MB Motorsport BTCC pit garage last season at Silverstone (Photo: MB Motorsport)
NB: Since leaving Aston Martin F1, as well as joining our Motorsport Speakers roster, you have also started working with Sky Sports on their F1 coverage. Has it been strange being on the other side of the pit wall?
BC: Yes it has been a really interesting experience so far with Sky. I wasn’t really aware before of what was required to produce a show. I’ve learnt a very different aspect of the same industry and hopefully helped to educate others.
NB: Live television is another high-performance environment, what lessons have you learnt whilst doing this?
BC: I’m still learning!
NB: In your opinion, what one area from motorsport can business learn the most from?
BC: The biggest learning for me is that the decisions made on race day are irreversible so everything most go into making the correct decision in the first place.
NB: As mentioned before, you joined our Motorsport Speakers roster in 2022, how can our clients and partners benefit from your experience and knowledge if they are looking for you to join them at their next business conference or training event?
BC: I think Formula One and the fast paced decisions made on the pit wall are easy to transfer to other industries. Working through some real examples and stories from my time there brings home the possible lessons to be learned.
NB: Thank you so much for your time today Bernie, and I’m sure everyone reading this will agree your experience and knowledge from Formula One is extremely valuable for anyone looking to unlock their own performance.
Below is a clip of Bernie in action on Sky Sports F1
If you would like to book or enquiry about Bernie speaking at your next business conference or event, then please contact us by emailing nickbutcher@ignitionperform.com
It was a unique weekend in Azerbaijan, as we saw a brand-new weekend format. On-track Red Bull Racing's Sergio Perez won ahead of his teammate and championship rival Max Verstappen. Ignition Human Performance's Nick Butcher reflects on the three things we can learn from the action we saw and put into our own business or personal performance.
As the dust settles on what was a fantastic 100th Anniversary of the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans, with a victory for car 51 the Ferrari AFCourse, with drivers James Colado, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi - what exactly can we learn from one of the most prestigious endurance races in the world and use to unlock your own personal or business performance?
As the dust settles on a wet and wild weekend at Donington Park for what was the first round of the 2023 BTCC Championship, Ignition Human Performance's Nick Butcher reflects on the three things we can learn from the action we saw on-track and put into our own business or personal performance.
Ignition Human Performance is pleased to announce that another fantastic member of the grid joining its Motorsport Speakers roster, Julien Simon-Chautemps, who was most recently Kimi Räikkönen’s last Formula One Race Engineer.
In recent years, the Formula 1 landscape has witnessed a notable shift in sponsorship trends, with an increasing number of online betting & gambling companies entering the scene. This growing presence of online bookmakers as sponsors for F1 teams has sparked discussions about the implications for the sport's image, financial dynamics, and the potential influence on its global fan base.
Back in February 2021, I was fortunate enough to sit down with two Formula One World Champions, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE and Damon Hill OBE, to help raise money for their respective charities, Race Against Dementia and halow project.
Back in February 2021, I was fortunate enough to sit down with two Formula One World Champions, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE and Damon Hill OBE, to help raise money for their respective charities, Race Against Dementia and halow project.
In 2004 the Red Bull Drinks Company purchased the Jaguar Racing Team for $1. The Jaguar team, who were owned at the time by the Ford Motor Company, had been in Formula 1 since 2000 after Ford purchased 3 time Formula 1 champion Sir Jackie Stewart’s Stewart Grand Prix team.
Ignition Human Performance (IHP) and Niesslein Sustainability Partners (NSP), are pleased to announce they have teamed up to launch a pioneering questionnaire looking at the current state of Sustainability in Motorsport and its associated industries.
Over the next few months Ignition Human Performance will be following the progress of Raj Kular, who is applying to compete in the new Formula Woman series, which if she wins, will be awarded a drive in a two car Formula Woman entered McLaren GT4 race cars in the 2022 GT Cup championship.
You may remember back in November we shared the story of Raj Kular, who was competing in Formula Woman, with a seat in a McLaren GT4 in the British GT Cup for the winner!
Well the good news is that from 850 applicants she is now down to the final 75 drivers.
As part of our ethos "Watch on Sunday, Learning on Monday" here at Ignition Human Performance, we are always looking for ways to take the lessons you will see this weekend at the race track and look at how they can be translated into unlocking business or personal performance.
As part of our ethos "Watch on Sunday, Learning on Monday" here at Ignition Human Performance, we are always looking for ways to take the lessons you will see this weekend at the race track and look at how they can be translated into unlocking business or personal performance.
In the realm of Formula 1, where speed, precision, and strategy collide, Lewis Hamilton's decision to join the Ferrari team from 2025 onwards has sent shockwaves through the motorsport community.
In 2010, Mercedes-Benz made its return to Formula One as a Constructor for the first time since 1955 taking over the Brawn GP team. The German car manufacturer had been back in the sport involved as a engine provider, first with Sauber in 1993 and then as a 40% shareholder of McLaren from 1995.
As part of HR Strategy Pro's 'Ignition'#OurMotorsportDNA, we will be producing a series of blogs from our research into the Secrets to Sustainable Success in Formula One. Each Wednesday, we will look at the lessons we can learn from top flight Motorsport such as Formula One, WEC and Formula E and how you can put it back into your business regardless of industry.
Back in 1993 Ferrari were in the middle of a season which would bring them no wins. They also hadn't won a championship since 1979 so in a change of management they brought in Jean Todt, the Frenchman who had over seen a huge amount of success in sports cars and rallying with Peugeot throughout the 80s and early 90s.
In 2010, Mercedes-Benz made its return to Formula One as a Constructor for the first time since 1955 taking over the Brawn GP team. The German car manufacturer had been back in the sport involved as a engine provider, first with Sauber in 1993 and then as a 40% shareholder of McLaren from 1995.
As we look to bring our teams back together for a successful 2022, Ignition Human Performance Managing Director Nick Butcher looks at 5 short case studies from the world of Formula One, with lessons that can help us unlock a High-Performance Culture, regardless of business industry.
The Ignition Book Club is a weekly review of different books from the bookshelf in the Ignition Human Performance office. These books all have a common cross over, which is a focus on lessons from elite motorsports that can be translated into business performance
The Ignition Book Club is a weekly review of different books from the bookshelf in the Ignition Human Performance office. These books all have a common cross over, which is a focus on lessons from elite motorsports that can be translated into business performance.
The Ignition Book Club is a weekly review of different books from the bookshelf in the Ignition Human Performance office. These books all have a common cross over, which is a focus on lessons from elite motorsports that can be translated into business performance.
The Ignition Book Club is a weekly review of different books from the bookshelf in the Ignition Human Performance office. These books all have a common cross over, which is a focus on lessons from elite motorsports that can be translated into business performance.
With the announcement this week that Motorsport To Business® powered by Ignition Human Performance, would be rejoining MBP's Official Partner Network (having worked as a team partner to their BTCC team MB Motorsport the last two seasons), our Managing Director Nick Butcher met up with their CEO, former F1 Driver Mark Blundell, to reflect on the lessons he has learnt from a career in motorsport and business.
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