Before you panic, no! We’re not calling for Ted Kravitz or his beloved Notebook to be replaced.
Kravitz’s half an hour debriefs at the end of a grand prix weekend are a well-orchestrated balance of F1 insight and paddock ramblings, that are easily the most enjoyable features of Sky Sports’ race weekend coverage.
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However, fans are left wanting more when Kravitz is not in the paddock, and instead of an abrupt end to a broadcast Sky could maintain the Notebook feature.
The perfect candidate to takeover from Ted is also right under Sky’s nose and is one of their most popular pundits – Bernie Collins.
Bernadette (Bernie) Collins started her F1 career at McLaren in 2009, where she joined as a graduate trainee and eventually worked her way up to the role of performance engineer.
Eventually, Collins progressed into the role of strategy engineer at Force India/Racing Point and was named head of strategy at Aston Martin in 2020.
In 2023, Collins joined Sky Sports’ team as a pundit and analyst, offering strategy insights from her experience on the pit wall during the pre and post-race coverage, and has lately moved her expertise to commentary.
Her experience in F1 has earned Collins a role in the Grand Prix Trust, which was founded by Jackie Stewart and includes the likes of Martin Brundle as their trustees.
Not only does Collins have the CV and the insight to back-up her own segment in place of Ted’s Notebook, but she is also a genuinely engaging and entertaining member of Sky’s team.
On race weekends where Martin Brundle and his Grid Walk are absent, Collins’ presence on the grid acts as a welcome relief to the usually mundane interviews with celebrities who offer nothing new or insightful to say.
Instead, Collins gave us a flavour of what to expect strategy wise from the race, entering conversations with the actual personnel within F1 teams, which only builds up more excitement for the race.
When Kravitz isn’t present in the paddock, Collins could lead a post-race feature breaking down strategy decisions and blunders in a way that is digestible for fans.
Collins is one of Sky F1’s best assets alongside Kravitz, and the broadcaster should be utilising her as frequently as possible to further engage the sport’s fanbase.
