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She twice won the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in a BMW M3.

In a big loss to the motorsport world, Sabine Schmitz has passed away at the age of 51. She last breathed yesterday after fighting against Cancer for the last three years. Fondly known as the ‘Queen of Nurburgring’, Sabine won the famous endurance race for the first time in 1996. A role model for female racers across the world, Sabine Schmitz is the only woman to win the Nurburgring 24 Hours endurance race. She also raced in a Porsche and finished third in 2008. Schmitz also made appearances in the famous British motoring show Top Gear. In one of the episodes, she famously attempted to lap the 15-mile circuit under 10 minutes in a Ford Transit van.


Sabine began her career in the lower-level racing categories before winning the gruelling 24-hour race in 1996 and 1997 in a BMW M3. Apart from that, she also won the VLN championship of endurance races at the Nurburgring in 1998. These achievements highlight the aura of Sabine Schmitz in the motorsports arena. Schmitz earned the tag of ‘Queen of Nurburgring’ for her winning streak on the circuit. She also did 20,000 laps on the Nurburgring Nordschleife on her own plus the “Ring Taxi” rides for tourists. She set-up her own Frikadelli Racing team along with her husband.


Despite being diagnosed with Cancer, Sabine attempted a comeback in the racing arena in 2020. This speaks volumes about her indomitable spirit. Apart from racing, she was a regular presence in the TV world. She was a co-host of the D Motor in 2006 as she took on a different motoring challenge in every episode. Once, Sabine drove a Ferrari 360 against a Race Truck, or even taking a sidecar in a Formula Renault. In 2016, Schmitz joined Top Gear as a presenter alongside existing hosts- Rory Reid, Friends star Matt LeBlanc, Eddie Jordan, Chris Evans and Chris Harris. She continued to present the famous show till 2020. Top Gear will dedicate the upcoming Sunday’s episode in memory of the illustrious Sabine Schmitz.

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