Maria Costello made her Manx Grand Prix debut in 1996 and first raced at the TT in 2002. Third place at the 2005 Manx Grand Prix made her the first woman on a solo motorcycle to reach a podium on the Isle of Man’s Mountain Course.
Another milestone came with third place in the 2016 Senior Classic TT on a Paton. Costello shared the podium with John McGuinness and Dean Harrison. The result added to her experience across different classes and demonstrated her ability to compete in classic motorcycle racing too.
In 2019 Costello became the first woman to contest both Sidecar and Lightweight TT races on the same day. With passenger Julie Canipa she finished 17th on the sidecar, then took 24th in the solo race. One course demanded two different racing disciplines.