# Maria Costello

maria costello MBE (born 9 June 1973, Northampton, England) from Spratton in Northamptonshire, is a British motorcycle racer who held the Guinness World Record for being the fastest woman to lap the Isle of Man TT course at an average speed of 114.73 mph until Jenny Tinmouth took the record at the 2009 TT. Costello was the first woman (solo racer) in the history of the Isle of Man motorcycle races to stand on the podium when she took third place in the Ultra Lightweight category of the 2005 Manx Grand Prix. Riding a Honda RVF400, Costello became the first woman to take a podium finish in either a TT or Manx GP. Her success as a female motorcycle racer and success on the track has attracted attention from the media and the motorsport industry. In her debut appearance at the North West 200 Irish road race she came third in the 400 cc class on a Honda RVF400, placing her 7th overall, in the joint 125 cc/400 cc race.