FERMANAGH’S Formula One star Bernie Collins rubbed shoulders with some of Hollywood’s elite actors and actresses during the filming of a much-anticipated F1 movie next year.
The Maguiresbridge woman was in Silverstone when filming for the upcoming movie ‘F1’, produced by Apple Original Films and Warner Bros Pictures, took place recently.
‘F1’ is set to see award-winning American actor Brad Pitt play the lead character of ‘Sonny Hayes’ in the new movie which is rumoured to go down a treat with the ever-growing Formula One fan base.
“[Sonny Hayes] has a horrible crash, kind of craps out and disappears and is racing in other disciplines,” American actor, Pitt, teased to Sky Sports.
“His friend, played by Javier Bardem, is a team owner. They’re a last-placed team, they’ve never scored a point.
Ms Collins was pleased to see the action unfold.
“It was just really interesting to see that they’ve covered it to that level of detail,” she told ‘Planet F1’.
It has been a busy time for the Mount Lourdes Grammar School student who recently released self-penned book, ‘How to Win a Grand Prix’. She’s pleased with the success of her new release.
“I think people may look at a race and think it’s the same circuit [but] there’s always elements that can be learned, date that could have been read in a different way,” Ms Collins told Belfast Telegraph.
As part of her bid to inspire young females into engineering, the Fermanagh F1 legend stopped off at Mount Lourdes Grammar School in Enniskillen, to film a segment for Sky Sports TV.
“There are definitely more females in the pits and the offices back at the factory [at Aston Martin]. There wouldn’t have been that many when I first started,” Ms Collins said.
“The numbers are slowing changing, I think that’s because of [more women choosing] engineering.
“I think in terms of driving, I think it’s about people my age putting their little girls into [racing] karts, as well as their little boys.
“Then making sure the opportunity are there. It’s just going to take time,” said the Fermanagh woman.
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