Maria Costello MBE is the best known female rider in British motorbike racing. In this male-dominated sport, the petite blonde has established herself as a genuine fighter over close to two decades, never afraid to take on the opposite sex at their own game. She has many injuries and scars to show for her feisty approach to the sport she loves.
When Maria became a Member of the British Empire, she went to Buckingham Palace to receive her medal from Prince Charles. "Did you come by motorbike?" he asked. She had! Royal recognition confirmed the enormous impact Maria has had as a woman in a man's world.
In Queen of the Bikers, Maria tells of a life dedicated to her racing, and of the personal drive that led to her overcoming her insecurities to smash records and climb onto the podium at the most famous of race venues, the Isle of Man.
It is a warmly human story that tells of the great personal cost of following a dream and how, in her own words, "Motorbikes have contributed to many a broken bone, but they've never broken my heart..."
When Maria became a Member of the British Empire, she went to Buckingham Palace to receive her medal from Prince Charles. "Did you come by motorbike?" he asked. She had! Royal recognition confirmed the enormous impact Maria has had as a woman in a man's world.
In Queen of the Bikers, Maria tells of a life dedicated to her racing, and of the personal drive that led to her overcoming her insecurities to smash records and climb onto the podium at the most famous of race venues, the Isle of Man.
It is a warmly human story that tells of the great personal cost of following a dream and how, in her own words, "Motorbikes have contributed to many a broken bone, but they've never broken my heart..."
