Queen of Bikers Maria Costello proudly takes IAM RoadSmart logo onto the road race circuit

Queen of Bikers Maria Costello MBE is now carrying the IAM RoadSmart logo on her Paton Supertwin racing bike, and you will be able to see it at high speed on the Isle of Man and in Northern Ireland this year.

Maria is a motorcycle legend and for the past three years has been IAM RoadSmart rider ambassador.

She will race her Supertwin featuring the IAM RoadSmart logo in this year’s road race season; her LCR F2 sidecar will also feature the logo too.

Maria has an exciting year ahead of her as she will not only run the Paton for her own team at the fearsome Isle of Man TT, but also be competing in the Supertwin class at the International Ulster Grand Prix, where she has held the fastest female lap record.

Maria said: “I am proud to be running the IAM RoadSmart logo on my bike this year. I always say that road racing is not only about speed - it is about precision, skill and riding to the best of your ability. It is you and your machine in harmony, making the most of what you and your bike can do.

“These are lessons that can be applied to riding on the road. There is nothing cool or glamorous about riding fast on public roads and putting your own and other lives in danger. The joy comes in handling your bike well, enjoying every dip and curve, while respecting the road and other road users.”

Maria’s racing CV makes impressive reading: she has made more than 40 starts at the Isle of Man TT and returned there last summer. She became the first woman ever to claim a podium at the 2016 Classic TT alongside 23 times TT winner John McGuinness.

For five years Maria held the Guinness World Record as the fastest woman to lap the Isle of Man TT course when she lapped the Snaefell mountain course at an average speed of 114.73 mph in 2004.

Last year she became the first female President of the TT Riders Association in its 67 year history.

Maria will also be leading a women-only IAM RoadSmart Skills Day for riders, on 16 July at Mallory Park.

During a day that aims to be fun as well as safe, riders taking part can expect to learn new techniques and gain greater understanding about the capability of their motorcycle from Maria herself. 

She will be coaching riders to recognise their own capabilities and that of their machines; entry, apex and exit points, how they vary from road to circuit; where to brake, when and how much to brake, how it feels in an emergency; controlled, progressive, smooth cornering; and how to use the accelerator or throttle to add stability to the motorcycle when cornering.

The cost of the whole day session is £149 per rider. Spaces are strictly limited and subject to availability¹. For more information visit our dedicated web page on Skills Day here: https://www.iamroadsmart.com/skillsday or to book call our Support hotline on 0300 303 1134.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

¹ There are two places available at the IAM RoadSmart Skills Day for riders on 16 July, as of 21 May 2019.

Further information from:

IAM RoadSmart press office – 020 8996 9777 – press.office@iam.org.uk                                                     

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IAM RoadSmart has a mission to make better drivers and riders in order to improve road safety, inspire confidence and make driving and riding enjoyable. It does this through a range of courses for all road users, from online assessments through to the advanced driving and riding tests. IAM RoadSmart is the trading name of all businesses operated by the UK’s largest road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and was formed in April 2016 combining the IAM, IAM Drive & Survive, PDS and IAM Driver Retraining Academy. The organisation has 92,000 members and campaigns on road safety on their behalf. At any one time there are over 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses, from members of the public to company drivers, while our Driver Retraining Academy has helped 2,500 drivers to shorten their bans through education and support programmes.

To find out more about IAM RoadSmart commercial products and services visit the new website www.iamroadsmart.com/business                                               

To find out more about IAM RoadSmart’s Driver Retraining Academy visit www.iamdra.org.uk  

To find out the name of your own local IAM RoadSmart group please visit: https://wwwiamroadsmart.com/local-groups     

ENDS ALL