Bernie Collins was born around 1985/1986 in Maguiresbridge, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, and was raised in a family where practical skills were valued. Her father worked in a garage, and together they often engaged in constructing and dismantling farm machinery, fostering her early interest in mechanics. Her parents’ full names have not been publicly disclosed.

She pursued her interests academically at Queen’s University Belfast, where she earned her degree in Mechanical Engineering. During her university years, Collins participated in the Formula Student Programme, a competitive engineering challenge that allows students to design and build their own racing cars.

She began her career as a trainee with McLaren after graduating in 2009, eventually becoming a performance engineer and leading that role full-time in 2014, working with 2009 World Champion Jenson Button. She joined Force India in 2015 as a performance and strategy engineer to Nico Hülkenberg and later Sergio Pérez, remaining with the team as it became Racing Point and then Aston Martin.

She left the team at the end of the 2021 F1 season, becoming a pundit and race strategy analyst for Sky Sports and F1TV’s F1 coverage. For the 2026 season, Sky Sports unveiled a feature called Pit Wall Live, through which she guides viewers through qualifying and race tactics live from a replica pit wall set.

Collins is engaged to Ryan McGarva, a former Formula 1 mechanic, and the couple share a deep passion for motorsport.