Maria Costello MBE has been revealed as an expert pundit for this year’s Isle of Man TT races, which returns for the first time in two years offering fans more ways to follow with live uninterrupted TV coverage of the world’s greatest road races.
Maria, who held the Guinness World Record for five years as the fastest woman to lap the Isle of Man TT course, joins a fantastic line-up of presenters, commentators and pundits who will deliver all the action, reaction and insight direct to smart TVs or devices.
Maria Costello MBE will race on both two and four wheels when she competes in the prestigious Goodwood Revival at the weekend (September 17-19). The Northamptonshire racer was the first woman to be invited to race in the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy races in 2019 and has been racing classic motorcycles at the event ever since.
Maria with the MG YB she will race with owner Richard Colburn Image credit: Mark Saunders
The Revival provides the perfect backdrop and racing track for a historic themed meeting that recreates the glorious days of glamorous motor sport. Formula One legend Jenson Button and 23 times TT winner John McGuinness are among those taking part in a packed programme that will see Maria compete in both motorcycle races and the St Mary’s Trophy car race and become the first woman to race both classic two wheeled and four wheeled machinery.
Both races are a two-rider or driver affair. Maria will team up with Gordon Russell on a 1961 Norton Manx 30M owned by his wife Sally Russell (who is also the Deputy Clerk of the Course for the bike races). The race is run in two parts and starts on Saturday in Le Mans style with one rider running across the track to leap on the running bike held by their team-mate and concludes with the second half held on the Sunday.
Classic car racing is still something new for Maria who was given her first experiences on four wheels thanks to Julius Thurgood, who runs the HRDC. He introduced Maria to her Revival team mate Richard Colburn, who is running three cars alongside his two sons, James and Ben, and their team-mates. Maria and Richard will be sharing a 1953 MG YB in the St Mary’s Trophy two-part race that runs on Saturday and Sunday.
Maria said: “I always feel so privileged to be invited to compete at the Revival. It’s an absolute highlight of the motorsport calendar and I love every moment, from the dressing up in period costume to racing on this incredibly fast track onboard classic machinery. I adore the nostalgia and heritage that is brought to life. I didn’t think it could get any better but having the opportunity to race both two and four wheels has done that, I want to thank everyone who has made this possible and I can’t wait to savour the amazing experience and atmosphere!”
Maria gets to try out the Russell Manx Norton in a CRMC parade. By Neil Kirby
The circuit is just one part of the period backdrop. The glamorous costumes of the era are worn by all who attend, including spectators, and the sights and sounds of the racing along with all the additional entertainment take you back to the halcyon days of motorsport, to find out more & buy your event tickets/hospitality head to the Goodwood Revival website.
Maria Costello MBE continues to improve in sidecar racing despite a stand-in passenger at the BMCRC-MRO Championship at Donington Park last weekend. Looking to build on the previous meeting’s positive race results at Croft with the FSRA British Championship, the pairing of Maria and passenger Vicky were keen to return to Donington Park with increased confidence as they felt they had unfinished business there after a lacklustre event earlier in the year.
Maria Costello MBE enjoyed a weekend of racing both her sidecar and the Mark Coverdale Paton at the North East Motorcycle Racing Club’s Battle of Britain meeting that featured a round of the FSRA F2 British Championship at Croft. Racing at the North Yorkshire track for the first time, Maria took the Mark Coverdale Paton as well as her sidecar to Dalton-on-Tees to help with learning the track she had never seen before.
Maria & Vicky qualifying for the FSRA race in the wet. Image Credit: Brian Blackett
All-female sidecar team Maria Costello MBE and Vicky Cooke head for Donington Park this weekend looking to build on their brilliant start to the 2021 race season.
Northamptonshire-based Costello and Yorkshire-based Cooke will compete on the LCR/Kawasaki F2 outfit in the ACU/FSRA British F2 Sidecar Championship at the famous Leicestershire circuit having been boosted by their outstanding effort in their opening event of the year at Oulton Park with the Wirral 100 Club.
Maria and Vicky Cooke on the LCR Kawasaki F2 racing sidecar. Credit David Johnston Motorsport PhotographyContinue reading
Maria Costello MBE and Vicky Cooke are teaming up to compete as an all-female sidecar team for the 2021 racing season and beyond. Northamptonshire racer Maria has taken on sidecar racing in recent years to add to her already successful career on two wheels, and is delighted to be partnered with Vicky, an accomplished passenger who comes from a family steeped in racing history.
Vicky and Maria ready to take to three wheels for the 2021 race season. Image courtesy Myles Bradbury.
