- Maria Costello suffered severe spinal and internal injuries in a sidecar crash during TT qualifying
- A £200,000 fundraiser has been launched to help fund her recovery and future care
- Costello is one of the most accomplished female competitors in Isle of Man TT history
One of road racing’s most respected and pioneering competitors is facing life-changing injuries following a serious sidecar crash at the 2026 Isle of Man TT, with a major fundraising campaign now launched to support her recovery.
The international motorcycle racing community has rallied around Maria Costello MBE after the veteran road racer suffered devastating injuries during a sidecar crash at the 2026 Isle of Man TT.
Costello and passenger Shaun Parker crashed during the opening sidecar qualifying session at Brandish on May 26, triggering a red flag and bringing an immediate end to the session.
Initially described as serious but stable, the full extent of Costello’s injuries has now emerged through a fundraising campaign established to help fund her long-term recovery.
According to information released via the GoFundMe campaign, Costello is currently paralysed from the T5/T6 vertebrae down following a broken back sustained in the crash. She also suffered a broken arm, multiple broken ribs, a broken sternum, a fractured eye socket, a broken nose, significant facial lacerations and a Grade 4 liver laceration.
While there remains hope she may regain movement in her legs, organisers of the fundraiser say the injuries will have a lifelong impact and require extensive rehabilitation, specialist care and potentially further surgeries.
One Of The TT’s Most Important Trailblazers
The seriousness of the accident has hit particularly hard within the road racing community because Costello is far more than simply another TT competitor.
The Northamptonshire rider has spent decades breaking barriers in a sport traditionally dominated by men.
She made her Isle of Man TT debut in the 1990s and became one of the most recognisable female racers in road racing history. In 2004 she famously became the fastest woman ever around the Mountain Course, recording a lap of 114.73mph — a record that stood for years and helped cement her status as one of the sport’s pioneers.
Costello also became the first woman to earn a solo podium at the Manx Grand Prix and has competed across TT, British Championship and international road racing events throughout a career spanning more than three decades.
In recognition of her services to motorcycling and charity work, she was awarded an MBE in 2009.
Even in recent years, Costello has continued pushing boundaries, switching to sidecar competition while remaining a regular and respected presence around the TT paddock.
Fundraiser Launched For Recovery
A GoFundMe campaign has now been launched with an initial target of £200,000 to help cover the enormous costs associated with Costello’s recovery.
According to the fundraising page, Costello will likely require:
- Extensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation
- Further surgeries
- Home accessibility modifications
- Specialist medical equipment
- Adapted transport solutions
- Long-term care support
The fundraiser states that almost every aspect of her daily life may need to be adapted as she begins what is expected to be a lengthy rehabilitation process.
Despite the scale of the challenge ahead, those close to Costello say she remains determined to focus entirely on recovery.
“Maria is beyond determined to bounce back and apply every ounce of focus to being back as well as possible,” the fundraising statement said.
Passenger Also Injured
Passenger Shaun Parker was also seriously injured in the crash.
Parker later confirmed from hospital that he suffered injuries including a broken foot, ribs, clavicle, jaw, ankle and knee, as well as a collapsed lung and blurred vision.
The accident formed part of a difficult and tragic TT fortnight that ultimately contributed to organisers suspending all sidecar racing for the remainder of the 2026 event following a series of serious incidents.
Road Racing Community Responds
Support for Costello has quickly spread throughout the motorcycle racing world, with riders, teams, fans and TT followers sharing fundraising links and messages of support across social media.
For many, the response reflects the respect Costello has earned over a lifetime spent racing motorcycles, promoting women in motorsport and continually pushing herself against some of the most daunting challenges in motorcycle racing.
Now, after decades of showing determination on the race track, she faces what may be the toughest battle of her life.
For a link to the GoFundMe page head HERE.
Pics: IOMTT & Maria Costello Racing
