Death of Sabine Schmitz, queen of the Nordschleife

The Green Hell has lost its queen. Nicknamed for her driving skills on the northern loop of the Nürburgring, Sabine Schmitz died of cancer at just 51 years old.

A native of Adenau near the German circuit, Sabine Schmitz first followed the path of her parents, managers of the Am Tiergarten hotel. Very quickly, hotel training was abandoned for the legendary 20 km track in the heart of the black forest.

Le point d’orgue intervient en 1996, lorsqu’elle remporte les 24 Heures du Nürburgring au volant d’une BMW M3 E36, en compagnie de Hans Widmann et Johannes Scheid. Une première pour une femme sur cette course, mais également dans ce format d’épreuve d’endurance professionnelle. Un exploit réédité l’année suivante, avant de passer dans le giron Porsche in the middle of the 2000 years.

A circuit specialist with her company Sabine Schmitz Motorsport, she offered thrill-seekers the opportunity to take a high-speed ride in a BMW M5. It was under these conditions that she acquired notoriety among the German media, then in England with the show Top Gear.

In December 2004, she challenged (and beat) Jeremy Clarkson with a Jaguar Type-S, but gained even more fame by tackling the Nordschleife with a single Ford Transit diesel. Viewers then saw him numerous times doing all sorts of wacky challenges.

Finally, Sabine Schmitz became the first driver to score points in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) after being invited by the Münnich Motorsport team in 2015 (10th and 11th).

AUTO editorial staffhebdo sends its sincere condolences to the family, loved ones and friends of Sabine Schmitz.