Maria Costello was injured in a crash at Brandish during Tuesday evening qualifying at the Isle of Man TT, and organisers said the 52-year-old was in a serious but stable condition. She was initially taken by Airmed to Noble's Hospital on the Isle of Man with reported head injuries for assessment and treatment before later being transferred to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool.
Shaun Parker was also hurt in the same incident and is being treated at the island's main hospital. Organisers said he was conscious and talking, but he has chest, leg, arm and facial injuries. The crash came on the closing lap of the evening session shortly before 21:00 BST, about two miles from the start-finish line on the 37.7-mile circuit, and led to the second red flag of the 2026 event.
The latest stoppage came after Monday's opening practice session, when a solo motorcycle competitor crashed into a group of spectators and injured eight people. That earlier incident had already put the opening days of the meeting under strain, and Tuesday's crash added another blow to an event that is still trying to settle after two serious disruptions.
Costello is a regular competitor in both the solo and sidecar classes at the Isle of Man TT, and the Northamptonshire rider was marking the 30th anniversary of her debut on the island's Mountain Course when she competed in the Manx Grand Prix. Her place in the meeting has long made her one of its more familiar figures, which gave the crash added weight for followers who have watched her return year after year.
The 2026 tt races sidecar suspension now sits against that backdrop of repeated red flags and serious injuries. With Costello moved off the island for further treatment and Parker still in hospital, the immediate focus is no longer on qualifying times but on how quickly the event can recover from back-to-back incidents that have already changed the tone of this year's races.
