Queen of the Nurburgring, Sabine Schmitz 1969–2021

Sabine Schmitz, who became the first and only female to win the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, has passed away at the age of 51 on Tuesday (16/3/21) following a battle with cancer. Condolences goes out to the family and friends of Sabine Schmitz.

She became known as the "Queen of the Nurburgring" and estimated she had driven around the Nordschleife more than 20,000 times.

Schmitz became the first and only female driver to take overall victory in 1996 in a BMW M3 alongside Johannes Scheid and Hans Widmann.

She would repeat the victory a year later, in a BMW M3 once more, this time alongside Johannes Scheid, Hans-Jürgen Tiemann and Peter Zakowski.

Schmitz later gained acclaim for an appearance on Top Gear in 2004 in which she drove a Jaguar S-Type diesel around the Nordschleife in 9 minutes and 12 seconds (embarrassing Jeremy Clarkson time of 10 minutes). Then in 2005 driving a Transit van around the track Nordschleife over 10 minutes (scaring Richard Hammond in the process), and subsequently became a presenter on the show in 2016.



Schmitz was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, which forced her to step away from racing.

She possibly one the top three female drivers in motorsport history alongside the likes of Michèle Mouton and Danica Patrick.

Gone but not forgotten.

R.I.P. Sabine Schmitz