April 20, 2024
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/56420308
Sabine Schmitz
Sabine Schmitz, envisioned in January 2020

Previous Leading Equipment speaker Sabine Schmitz – popular for being the only lady to win the Nurburgring 24 hr – has actually passed away aged 51.

Schmitz stated in 2015 that she had actually been detected with cancer in 2017.

Schmitz had actually ended up being associated with the Nurburgring Nordschleife, the 14-mile circuit in Germany that is renowned as the most difficult worldwide.

She won the 24-hour touring automobile race at the track two times, in 1996 and 1997, driving a BMW M3.

She ended up being called the “Queen of the Nurburgring” and approximated she had actually driven around the track more than 20,000 times.

Schmitz later on acquired recognition for a look on the top Equipment in 2004 in which she drove a van around the track, and consequently ended up being a presenter on the show along with Chris Evans in 2016.

This Sunday’s episode of Leading Equipment will be committed to Schmitz, with Clare Pizey, executive manufacturer, stating: “Sabine was a precious member of the Leading Equipment household and providing group considering that 2016, having initially appeared on the program in 2004, and everybody who had the enjoyment of dealing with her on the group remains in shock at this news.

” Sabine radiated positivity, constantly used her saucy smile no matter how difficult things got – and was a force of nature for ladies motorists in the car world.

” Like everybody else who understood her, we will genuinely miss her – Sabine actually was among a kind. Our ideas are with her partner Klaus, who was constantly by her side and who we invited to Dunsfold often times, and her household in Germany.”

Leading Equipment speaker Chris Harris stated Schmitz was a “terrific, effective, humorous individual” while the program’s previous speaker Jeremy Clarkson paid homage by tweeting she was “such a warm individual therefore loaded with beans”.

Formula 1 stated Schmitz was “a force of nature” who influenced “a brand-new generation of motorsport lovers”.