Isle of Man TT racer reveals permanent eye damage after Sidecar crash

Shaun Parker, passenger to Maria Costello, says he has suffered permanent eye damage following a serious Sidecar crash at the 2026 Isle of Man TT.

Costello and Parker suffered a major incident during the opening night of qualifying for the Sidecar class at this year’s TT.

Veteran TT racer Costello sustained life-changing injuries in the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a specialist facility, having been paralysed in the incident.

Parker suffered multiple injuries as well, and revealed in a recent social media post that he is dealing with vision problems from damage to his eyes.

He said in a video update: “I’ve still got fuzzy vision in the centre of my vision in my left eye.

“I went to the hospital last Thursday, and that looks like it’s going to be permanent.

“I am going to ask for a second option, but it is pretty much because the blood loss through the retina wall was so extreme due to the injury that it’s not going to come back.

“It looks like I’ve lost that, and then I’ve lost a bit in my right eye which isn’t going to come back either.

“It’s been eight weeks now, so any healing that was going to happen potentially has happened.”

He added that his vision issues won’t impact his ability to hold a driving licence in the UK.

On the rest of his injuries, he added: “Eight weeks on from the accident and things are going OK, to be honest.

“All the bones that needed healing have healed, pretty much.

“It’s just ligaments and eyes that are still healing, or as far as they are going to go.

“Left foot, I did have [a boot] on. I can now optionally remove that, so walking round the house I can leave that off.

“Shoulder is still a bit stiff, but I’m waiting for physio to come in on my shoulder. Back’s fine; that’s been cleared from the spinal clinic.

“Jaw is still a bit uncomfortable, but apart from that it’s just get on with it.

“Right leg, I’ve still got the brace on my right knee, but I think that’s just for support because I have had the reconstructive surgery done on my MCL on the right leg, and the PCL, which is damaged, and I’ve got a PCL brace on.

“But I think that should be able to come off when I go to see the knee specialist at the end of August.

“My tib at my heel has finished healing, so I’ve just got two braces on now.

“So, I really do look like Forest Gump at the moment, but I can’t run at all at the moment because that’s only just come out of the cast.”

A review into the sustainability of the Sidecar class at the TT found that there is a strong desire to keep the category at the event, but not in its current form.