Maria Costello gets her mojo working

Female bike racer Maria Costello says she cannot wait for the start of the 2010 season after recovering her racing ‘mojo’.

Costello, the first woman to achieve a podium finish at the Isle of Man, says she plans to race at the Isle of Man TT races next summer after a five-year break from the event.

She will be using the Yamaha R6, that sponsors CMS of Blackburn & Doug Foster helped her purchase. Maria is still looking for a 1000cc bike for the TT Superstock class.

The Yamaha R6 is the bike on which she regained her big-race confidence after joining the CSC Branson Yamaha Team at the Manx Grand Prix two months ago.

They run Irish road racer Davy Morgan, and Costello used his R6 in the Junior race to great effect as she finished 17th from a start number of 48 and lapped at an average speed of over 114mph to almost equal her personal best around the TT circuit.

After a difficult three years caused serious injuries she sustained in a huge crash at the Manx in 2006, Northampton-based Costello says she has now recovered her determination, motivation and desire for racing.

“I loved this year’s Manx,” she said. “I found speed again and I now know I want to achieve more in this sport.

“Working with the CSC Branson Yamaha team renewed my faith in myself and my love of the sport – these great people showed me how it should be done and gave me the support and confidence to find my speed again.

“I’d not seen this bike before I got to the Manx, apart from pictures of Davy competing on it, but after just two laps on it I’d fallen in love with it.”

Costello plans to compete on three machines: her Supersport Yamaha R6, a Honda RVF400 and a 1000cc Superstock bike [still to be acquired] mainly in Irish national and international road races, as well as returning to the Isle of Man TT.

She also intends to race at some hand-picked short-circuit meetings and at the Goodwood Revival on a classic bike.