The 51-year-old German racer passed away on 17 March 2021 after bravely battling cancer
Known as the Queen of Nürburgring, German racer Sabine Schmitz lost the battle against cancer after fighting it gallantly for over three years. The 51-year-old passed away on 17 March 2021 (Wednesday) leaving behind a legacy in the world of motorsport and automotive journalism. In 1996, Sabine became the first woman on earth to win the great 24 Hours of Nürburgring and rehashed the deed in 1997. In 1998, the German racer went onto become the first female racer to achieve the VLC Endurance Championship held in Germany. Later on, she also received the title of the world’s fastest taxi driver after giving rides to tourists around the Nürburgring race track in an M5 from BMW.
Growing up close to the racetrack, Sabine fell in love with cars and racing. After winning several races on the track, she formed her own racing team by the name of Frikadelli Racing and handled it with her spouse. During her time at the coveted race track, she completed over 20,000 laps, which is another astonishing accomplishment of Sabine Schmitz. In 2004, she appeared on the automotive television program “Top Gear” to give an overview of the Nürburgring track. That’s not all, as she also defeated the lap record of Jeremy Clarkson by 47 seconds in a Jaguar S-type. She instantly created a space in the hearts of the fans and turned into a regular guest on the show. In 2016, she was hired as a permanent member of the Top Gear show.
In July 2020, Sabine through her Facebook page released a statement related to her health where she wrote, “Many of you have probably wondered why I was on the list of participants for Porsche in the NSL (Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie) and then didn’t drive after all. I would like to provide enlightenment here; I think I owe it to my/our fans! Since the end of 2017, I have been fighting an extremely persistent cancer that has not been eliminated with the resources so far. It got a little better – but now it’s come back with full force. In addition, I would like to thank everyone for their help and support in my everyday life, and encouragement in writing.”
BuzzTribe News extends its deepest sympathies to Sabine’s family and friends. May her soul rest in peace.
