Bernie Collins Highlights the Key Challenge for Female F1 Drivers
Alright, let’s talk about something that keeps coming up in motorsport—will we see a female driver in Formula 1 anytime soon? Sky F1’s strategy analyst Bernie Collins thinks it’s absolutely possible, but there’s a much bigger issue at play than just physicality or talent. The real problem? The sheer lack of young girls getting into karting at an early age.
Collins, a former Aston Martin F1 strategy engineer, believes that the path to Formula 1 starts way before drivers even get close to the big leagues. It’s all about numbers. Right now, only about one percent of junior karters are female. And if you only have one percent of the talent pool being girls, the chances of finding one of the best 20 drivers in the world from that small group are incredibly slim.
She counters the resurfaced comments from Danica Patrick, who suggested that F1 is inherently masculine and that the “female mind” might not be best suited for it. Collins disagrees, emphasizing that with power steering and the right seat setup, the physical aspect isn’t an insurmountable barrier. Some tracks may be more demanding, but the real issue is about representation at the grassroots level.
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F1 Academy is working hard to bridge this gap, and initiatives like More Than Equal—co-founded by David Coulthard—are pushing to create opportunities for female drivers. Coulthard himself has acknowledged that the timeline for the first female F1 world champion is still uncertain, but with more structured programs in place, it could happen much sooner than previously thought.
One of the biggest hurdles up until recently was sponsorship. But with the rise of Drive to Survive and the growing female F1 fan base—now at 40% compared to just 8% before—brands are starting to see the potential. Charlotte Tilbury sponsors F1 Academy, and Aston Martin has Elemis on board. Collins imagines a future where major brands back a female driver, and the marketing potential would be huge.
So, what’s the next step? Collins believes the key is getting more young girls into karting between the ages of six and nine. If we can increase that one percent participation rate to something closer to ten percent, then we’ll see the real talent emerge.
Collins herself has been in F1 since 2009, working with top teams like McLaren, Force India, and Aston Martin. She’s seen the sport change over time, with more women in engineering and technical roles. But the numbers still have a long way to go, both in the garage and on the track.
The bottom line? The talent is out there. The interest is growing. But the sport needs to actively encourage and support young female drivers from the ground up. And if that happens, Collins believes there’s no reason why we won’t see a woman in Formula 1 sooner rather than later.
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