Maria Costello: 'It's about being taken seriously, there's still change that can happen'
- Published
Maria Costello has competed on a number of public roads circuits such as the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod
International road racer Maria Costello has told The BBC Bikes Podcast that "there is still change that can happen" towards eradicating mysoginistic attitudes in two-wheel motorsport.
The 49-year-old has been competing in various forms of motorbike racing since 1995, including short circuits and the Isle of Man TT.
"There is still work to do but it has massively transformed since I started.
"It's about being taken seriously, being credible," said Costello.
"You don't want to be seen as the sideshow. I still have to work at that, proving myself when I go into a new arena.
"I think it is slightly easier for young women coming through now.
"I think our governing body could do huge amounts - I think they are missing a lot of opportunities.
"I try to highlight the women as much as I can - emphasising that we are there competing on equal terms, succeeding and that it can become a career, something that women can do."
"I think we've got to have a place where young girls can come and try the bikes - get an introduction to the sport just to see if they like motorcycling as it is so incredibly expensive.
"That would be a great grassroots thing, something for different age ranges - opportunities to try it and make it more accessible on small bikes. I'd love to be involved in something like that."
'I felt I had a point to prove'
Costello, from Northampton, says the fact that she was one of the few females competing in the sport during the early part of her career gave her added incentive to succeed.
"It did fuel my fire initially. I felt I had a point to prove against the guys and that helped me get started and get stuck in.
"It helped me get sponsors from the word go and I realised that if I publicised myself to some degree, if I did that kind of thing, then I could go racing.
"I learned how to write my own press releases, you had to do that yourself.
"It wasn't about the newspaper coming to you. If you fed them the news you were more likely to be talked about in the media and I learned really quickly that was an important part of it.
"Social media has now come into play massively and that's full-on.
"I'm a big advocate of young women coming through in the sport and they are having to work so hard on social media."