Very sad to hear that Sabine Schmitz (1969-2021) has passed away. She became one of the main attractions at the racing complex as a driver of a BMW ring taxi, in which she took paying customers on a high-speed lap around the track. Schmitz previously estimated she had completed more than 20,000 laps at the Nrburgring, one of the most famous and challenging racetracks in the world. Frikadelli Racing, the team she founded with husband Klaus Abbelen, confirmed the news earlier on Wednesday. Such a sunny person and so full of beans.. Her death was confirmed in March by a statement from Nurburgring, which read: The Nurburgring has lost its most famous female racing driver. Sabine radiated positivity, always wore her cheeky smile no matter how hard things got and was a force of nature for female drivers in the motoring world. Fittingly, the circuit itself was among the first to pay tribute. As well as working with Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May in the earlier series' of Top Gear,Schmitz was introduced as a presenter by the BBC to host the show alongside Chris Evans, Chris Harris, Rory Reid and Eddie Jordan in 2016. Now I have to draw all the strength and nerve to master the next powerful therapies hoping something [good] will happen. Current host Paddy McGuinness also posted a tribute. ', Hammond tweeted: 'Very sad to hear of the passing of Sabine Schmitz, a proper driving legend who'll be sadly missed by many. Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness. I would like to provide enlightenment here, I think I owe it to my/our fans! In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting, Score the biggest stories of the week with our newsletter. Our sympathy goes to her family and friends pic.twitter.com/ZHXbC1R6Wk, Porsche Motorsport (@PorscheRaces) March 17, 2021. This website is made by BBC Studios Distribution. Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. Klaus Abbelen and all relatives and friends are deeply saddened by the immeasurable loss.. In a Facebook post from September, left, and in October, right, Sabine Schmitz with her husband and fellow racing driver Klaus Abbelen at the Hurlingham Club in 2016, left, and at the red carpet at the same event, right, Schmitz with her husband Klaus Abbelen in London, left, and on the track, right. Top Gear presenter Sabine Schmitz answers media questions during the launch of Top Gear at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey in 2016, Schmitz revealed last July that she was suffering from a persistent form of cancer. 'Sabine Schmitz (14.5.1969 16.3.2021) passed away yesterday (Tuesday) after her brave fight against cancer,' the team said in a statement. "The Nrburgring has lost its most famous female racing driver. (@nuerburgring) March 17, 2021. 2021. Advertisement. Rotten news. Sabine Schmitz was born on May 14, 1969 in Adenau, in Western Germany. Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness. Sabine, the only woman ever to win. The motor racer explained that she had sought treatment and her condition was improving, but she had relapsed and would be undergoing treatment again. TheNurburgring, her home track, mourned the loss of 'its most famous female racing driver', writing on Twitter: 'We will miss her and her cheerful nature. Formula One paid tribute to Schmitz on Twitter: We are all deeply saddened to hear that Sabine Schmitz has passed away. She said her favourite parts of the track were the Schwedenkreuz (Swedish Cross) and Fuchsrhre (Fox Hole). Rest in peace Sabine! The 51-year-old, known as the Queen of Nurburgring, grew popular as the Top Gear's host but succumbed to her long-term illness. The Nrburgring has lost its most famous female racing driver. Following a long battle with her illness, she passed away on Tuesday, 16th March 2021, at the age of 51. . Market data provided by Factset. Our sympathy goes to her family and friends., Schmitz went on to make regular appearances on Top Gear, and the shows former host, Jeremy Clarkson, tweeted: Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz. We will miss her and her cheerful nature. In July 2020,Schmitzrevealed via a Facebook post that she had been suffering from "an extremely persistentcancer" since late 2017. Sabine Schmitz grew up within the boundaries of Germany's iconic race track and earned the nickname "Queen of the Nurburgring" after accounting that she completed more than 20,000 laps of the track. Porsche Motorsport posted: "#NLS - Very sad to hear that Sabine Schmitz (1969-2021) has passed away. Despite high expectations, Schmitz did not find success in the South African championship. The racing icon also became known as the 'worlds fastest taxi driver' by driving passengers around the track in a BMW M5. Chris Evans, who hosted the show for a series in 2016, recalled this morning on his radio show how Schmitz had once made him vomit during a speedy drive. Now I have to draw all the strength and nerve to master the next powerful therapies hoping something [good] will happen. The Adenau-born Schmitzs first triumph at the 24 Hours of Nrburgring came in 1996 with Johannes Scheid and Hans Widmann in the BMW M3. On Twitter, Nrburgring said it had lost its most famous female racing driver, adding, Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness.. After getting married and running a hotel in Pulheim near Cologne, she won the 24 Hours Nrburgring in 1996 and 1997 as Sabine Reck, all with a BMW M3 Group N entered and co-driven by local veteran Johannes Scheid. German racing driver and TV personality Sabine Schmitz has died aged 51 after a three-year battle with cancer. The Sabine Schmitz top gear stint began in 2004alongside Jeremy Clarkson and then became a regular feature on the popular TV show on BBC. RIP Sabine., The Nrburgring has lost its most famous female racing driver.Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness. Sabine Schmitz, the only female winner of the 24 Hours of Nrburgring, has died at the age of 51. . Schmitz grew up in the town of Nurburg, western Germany, which gives its name to one of the most formidable tracks in motorsport, the Nurburgring. [16][17] The Nrburgring have renamed the first corner of the Nordschleife loop as the "Sabine-Schmitz-Kurve" posthumously in her honour.[18]. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Schmitz, 51, grew up in her family's hotel located within the confines of the 13-mileNrburgringNordschleife racingcircuit and went on to become one of the track's most successful drivers and most recognizable face, earning her the nickname of "Queen of the Ring.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She was 51. I would like to provide enlightenment here; I think I owe it to my/our fans! The new Nordschleife, which was modified when Schmitz was 2, became her playground. The following year, she repeated the feat. "My deepest condolences to the family. Best known for winning Germany's Nurburgring Nordschleife, the legend took her last breath on Tuesday (March 16, 2021), according to a statement issued by Frikadelli Racing. Logos 1996. 17/03/2021 09:39am GMT. The Ring has lost its Queen. Schmitz rose to global fame after appearing on the BBC show "Top Gear" in 2002 in a segment where she and host Richard Hammond attempted to drive a commercial van around the track in under 10 minutes. Sabine Schmitz, Racing Driver and TV Personality, Dies at 51, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/sports/autoracing/sabine-schmitz-obituary.html. University Challenge contestant leaves fans besotted by her VERY expressive reactions Do not sell or share my personal information. The world mourned for the Queen of the Nurburgring and one of the most famous female racing drivers. Rest in peace Sabine!". The world mourned for. The Ring has lost its Queen. She did a lap in the Jaguar S-Type, and set a time of 9 minutes 12 seconds, beating him by 47 seconds. By clicking subscribe, you agree to receive news, promotions and offers by email from Top Gear and BBC Studios. She was also a qualified helicopter pilot. Schmitz grew up near Germany's legendary Nrburgring circuit. 'So sweethearts, now you have an update. Sabine Schmitz, 51, was a German professional motor racing driver for both BMW and Porsche. Klaus Abbelen and all relatives and friends are deeply saddened by the immeasurable loss, Frikadelli Racing said in a statement. The Ring has lost its Queen. She managed to get within 10 seconds of the saloon car. For Sabine Schmitz, going to the storied Nrburgring car racing track in Western Germany was like going to school. Sabine Schmitz, "Top Gear" presenter and race car driver known as the "Queen of the Nrburgring," has died. "The Nrburgring has lost its most famous female racing driver," the legendary racetrack's official Twitter account wrote on Wednesday. 'Sabine Schmitz (14.5.1969 - 16.3.2021) passed away yesterday (Tuesday) after her brave fight against cancer,' the team said in a statement. Published March 17, 2021 9:06am EDT Famed racing driver Sabine Schmitz dead from cancer at 51 Known around the world as the 'Queen of the Ring' By Gary Gastelu | Fox News Video America's most. EXCLUSIVE: Grandmother, 86, who arranged for her daughter-in-law, 27, to be lured to India and murdered in Could WhatsApp be BANNED in Britain? These mistakes in turn kickstart a persons cell journey towards becoming cancerous. Brilliantly bonkers and an amazing human being! [10], In March 2015, The Guardian featured a satirical article calling for Schmitz to be the new presenter of Top Gear in order to gracefully cancel the programme, concluding that "She has appeared from time to time on Top Gear in the past, and shown herself to possess exactly the right mix of knowledge and boisterousness for the job every time. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. At the end of the instalment a picture of Schmitz was shown with the message: 'In memory of Sabine Schmitz 1969 - 2021.' The Twitter account for the Nrburgring, the famous German racing. Clare Pizey, Top Gear's executive producer, said in a statement on behalf of the Top Gear team: 'Sabine was a beloved member of the Top Gear family and presenting team since 2016, having first appeared on the show in 2004, and everyone who had the pleasure of working with her on the team is in shock at this news. All rights reserved. She turned professional aged 24, claiming historic victories as the first woman to win the24 Hours Nurburgring endurance race in 1996, and then again in 1997, behind the wheel of a BMW M3. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. So, sweethearts, now you have an update. Now I have to draw all the strength and nerve to master the next powerful therapies hoping something [good] will happen. She was 51. German racing legend and Top Gear star Sabine Schmitz has died at the age of 51. She is estimated to have completed 20,000 laps of the track and is the only female winner of the grueling 24 Hours ofNrburgring race, having won back-to-back events in 1996 and 1997. ", Fellow presenter Chris Harris added: Rest in peace you wonderful, powerful, hilarious person.. Her skill around the track earned her appearances on German motorsport TV channels, including for the D Motor programme, where she took on sports cars such as the Ferrari 360, with much slower vehicles like a 1200 horse power truck. But she was unable to compete due to her illness, which she revealed for the first time in a heartbreaking Facebook post, writing:'Dear friends of professional motor sport, many of you have probably wondered why I was on the list of participants on our Porsche in the NSL and then didn't drive after all. The Queen of the Nurburgring had said,Many of you have probably wondered why I was on the list of participants on our Porsche in the NSL and then didnt drive after all. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Many of her former colleagues and co-stars paid tribute to Schmitz on social media following the news of her death. Rest in peace Sabine!". Rest in peace you wonderful, powerful, hilarious person, said Chris Harris this morning. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. German racing driver Sabine Schmitz, who earned the reputation as the "Queen of the Nurburgring", passed away at the age of 51. RIP wrote Clarksons former Top Gear co-host Richard Hammond. I never had to learn the track, she once said. The professional motor racing driver, known as Queen of the Nurburging, died last month aged 51, after a long battle . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz. Our thoughts are with her partner Klaus, who was always by her side and who we welcomed to Dunsfold many times, and her family in Germany. BBC Studios is a commercial company that is owned by the BBC (and just the BBC). Following occasional drives with the family car on the Nordschleife, all three Schmitz sisters started racing, but only Sabine continued and went on to achieve several notable victories. Christopher F. Schuetze contributed reporting. It was around this time that Schmitz became known for her entertaining laps in a BMW M5 'ring taxi,' taking visitors around the Nurburgring at breakneck professional speeds. The Queen of the Nrburgring had been battling cancer for over three years. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. "We are all deeply saddened to hear that Sabine Schmitz has passed away," said . Read Full Article Text By Eric Brain. Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness. [3] In 2006 Schmitz and Klaus Abbelen drove the #97 Porsche 997 in the Nrburgring VLN endurance racing series, entered by Land Motorsport. German racing driver Sabine Schmitz, who earned the reputation as the "Queen of the Nurburgring", passed away at the age of 51. He said. ', Sabine Schmitz in her Porsche racing overalls. Matt Bagwell. RIP, Richard Hammond (@RichardHammond) March 17, 2021, Were incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Sabine Schmitz.A fierce competitor, talented racer and Queen of the Nrburgring, who shared our passion for driving fast.Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with her family and friends. She was 51 years old. (Photo by Joe Klamar/Pool via Getty Images). After Clarkson (under her tutelage) set a lap time of 9 minutes 59 seconds around the Nrburgring in a Jaguar S-Type diesel (Series 5, Episode 5), she dismissed his best lap with the comment "I tell you something, I do that lap time in the van". 'Since the end of 2017, I have been fighting an extremely persistent cancer that has not been eliminated with the resources so far. The NHS listed the seven signs of cancer to look out for which include: DON'T MISSHigh cholesterol symptoms: Three signs in feet[INSIGHT]Statins side effects: Risk of four health conditions[TIPS]James Martin 'wasn't very well' after operations[INSIGHT]. Image: AAP The motorsport world is mourning the tragic death of female pioneer Sabine Schmitz, who died on. She then went on to become a co-host on the show in a cast that included "Friends" starMatt LeBlanc and appeared on several other shows in Germany and the U.K. Schmitz publically revealedlast July in a Facebook post that she had been dealing with the condition since 2017, writing:"I have been fighting an extremely persistent cancer that has not been eliminated with the resources so far. 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