If you know the Nürburgring, you know Sabine Schmitz — the woman who made a diesel Jaguar S‑Type fly around the Nordschleife in under ten minutes and turned a racing career into television gold. Her death in March 2021 left a hole in motorsport, but her story — from class‑winning the 24‑hour race to becoming a Top Gear co‑presenter — deserves more than a headline. Here’s the full picture of the Queen of the Nürburgring, built on verified facts and the memories of those who knew her best.

4 related posts

Nürburgring 24h Class Wins: 2 (1995, 1996) ·
Age at Death: 51 (1969–2021) ·
Top Gear Appearances: Multiple, including as co‑presenter ·
Estimated Laps at Nürburgring: Over 30,000

Quick snapshot

1Who Was Sabine Schmitz?
2Her Racing Career
3TV Career
  • Frequent guest on Top Gear from 2004 onward (Top Gear)
  • Became co‑presenter on Top Gear in 2016 (Top Gear)
  • Appeared on other shows like Fifth Gear (Top Gear)
4Battle with Cancer
  • Diagnosed with cancer in 2020 (Top Gear)
  • Continued working during treatment (Top Gear)
  • Died on March 16, 2021 at age 51 (ESPN)

Seven key facts show the arc of her life, from a small town in the Eifel mountains to global television fame.

Label Value
Full Name Sabine Schmitz
Born May 14, 1969 (Adenau, West Germany)
Died March 16, 2021 (age 51)
Nationality German
Known For Racing driver, Top Gear presenter, “Queen of the Nürburgring”
First Female Win at 24h Nürburgring 1995 (class win)
Top Gear Role Guest and later co‑presenter (2016–2021)

What caused the death of Sabine Schmitz?

Her battle with cancer

  • Sabine Schmitz died on March 16, 2021 at age 51 after a long battle with cancer (Top Gear, the official BBC motoring site).
  • According to Wikipedia, the community‑edited encyclopedia, Schmitz revealed in 2020 that she had been fighting an “extremely persistent cancer” since late 2017.
  • ESPN, the global sports broadcaster reported that Schmitz had been dealing with cancer since 2017 and died after a long battle.

Official announcement from family

Her family confirmed her passing in a statement to German media. The Nürburgring issued a statement saying Schmitz “passed away far too early after a long illness,” as quoted in a YouTube report by a motorsport news channel.

Why this matters

Schmitz kept her diagnosis private until 2020, choosing to race and film when she could — an indicator of the resolve that defined her career. For fans, the gap between her public energy and private struggle remains sobering.

The implication: even as she fought aggressive cancer, Schmitz continued to appear on Top Gear and race at the Nürburgring, refusing to let the disease define her final chapter.

What happened to Sabine from Top Gear?

Her life after Top Gear

  • Schmitz first appeared on Top Gear in 2004, famously lapping the Nordschleife in under ten minutes in a diesel Jaguar S‑Type (Top Gear).
  • She became part of the presenting team in 2016, joining the rebooted line‑up after the departure of the original hosts (Top Gear).
  • Beyond Top Gear, she featured on Fifth Gear and various motorsport documentaries.

Her final years

  • After her diagnosis, Schmitz continued to work on Top Gear and race when her health permitted.
  • She drove the Ring Taxi for BMW, reportedly completing more than 30,000 laps of the Nürburgring (ESPN).
  • She died on March 16, 2021, at age 51 (Top Gear).
Bottom line: Schmitz’s television fame wasn’t a fluke – it grew from two decades of authentic track expertise. For viewers, her appearances were a masterclass in driving; for the production team, she was the rare talent who could both deliver a script and set a lap record.

The catch: her final seasons on television coincided with the most intense phase of her illness, meaning fans saw a performer who was privately fighting for her life.

How many times did Sabine Schmitz win at Nurburgring?

Class wins in the 24-hour race

  • Schmitz became the first woman to win the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 1996, taking the D1 class victory (ESPN).
  • She won the same race again in 1997, securing a second class win (ESPN).
  • Top Gear stated that her 1996 victory was the first for a female driver in the event’s history.

Overall results

While she never won the overall 24‑hour race outright, her two class wins in the D1 category were historic — until her death, no other woman had achieved even one class victory in the endurance classic.

The pattern: Schmitz’s success at the Nürburgring was rooted in local knowledge. She grew up in Adenau, a village on the Nordschleife, and learned every turn of the 20.8‑km circuit before she had a driving licence.

The upshot

Two class wins in the world’s toughest endurance race might sound modest, but for a driver working as a Ring Taxi guide and later as a TV personality, those victories proved she was no novelty act – she was a genuine competitor who earned the respect of professional teams.

Who has passed away from Top Gear?

Sabine Schmitz

  • Schmitz, a frequent guest and later co‑presenter, died in 2021 (Top Gear).
  • She is one of the few Top Gear on‑screen personalities to have died.

Other notable deaths

  • The Stig (Ben Collins) is alive; multiple anonymous Stig drivers have come and go but none have died in the public record.
  • No other Top Gear presenters (Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, Chris Harris, etc.) have died as of 2025.

The pattern: Schmitz’s death stands out because she was the first core member of the Top Gear family to pass from natural causes, making the grief both personal and public.

What kind of person was Sabine Schmitz?

Her character according to friends and colleagues

  • Jeremy Clarkson described her as “lovely” and noted her infectious enthusiasm (Top Gear).
  • Top Gear called her a “force of nature” for female drivers in motorsport (Top Gear).
  • Formula One paid tribute to a “unique, much-loved and cherished member of our sport’s family” (Formula One tribute via YouTube).

Her legacy

  • Schmitz inspired many women to pursue racing, proving that talent and personality could break through a male‑dominated sport.
  • The Nürburgring announced it had lost its “most famous female racing driver” (Nürburgring statement via YouTube).
  • Her memory is kept alive by fans and the circuit, which named a corner after her in 2022.
Bottom line: Sabine Schmitz was what the Nürburgring represented at its rawest – fast, accessible, and devoid of pretence. For aspiring female drivers, she proved you didn’t need Formula 1 to be a legend; for television audiences, she was simply the most relatable racing driver they ever saw.

Timeline: The life and death of Sabine Schmitz

  • 1969 – Born in Adenau, Germany (Wikipedia)
  • 1995–1996 – Won Nürburgring 24h in D1 class (ESPN)
  • 2004 – First appearance on Top Gear (Top Gear)
  • 2016 – Became co‑presenter of Top Gear (Top Gear)
  • 2020 – Diagnosed with cancer (Top Gear)
  • March 16, 2021 – Died at age 51 (ESPN)

Confirmed facts

  • Sabine Schmitz died of cancer on March 16, 2021 (Top Gear)
  • She won the Nürburgring 24h in her class in 1995 and 1996 (ESPN)
  • She was the first woman to achieve that (Top Gear)
  • She was a regular on Top Gear (Top Gear)

What’s unclear

  • Exact last words (reported but not confirmed by official sources)
  • Last photo before death (multiple circulating, authenticity uncertain)
  • Precise number of overall Nürburgring laps (commonly estimated at 30,000+, but ESPN cites a “over 30,000” figure)

“She was a force of nature for female drivers in motorsport.”

– Top Gear, the official BBC motoring site

“A unique, much-loved and cherished member of our sport’s family.”

– Formula One tribute via YouTube

For the motorsport community, the loss of Sabine Schmitz isn’t just a memory – it’s a call to preserve the openness and humour she brought to a sport often seen as elitist. For the next generation of female drivers, the decision is clear: follow the lines she drew, or find your own – but never forget that the Queen of the Nürburgring started exactly where they do: at the gate, with a full tank and a grin.

Related reading: How Did Steve Irwin Die – Rare Stingray Fatality Explained · Emilia Clarke Movies and TV Shows: Complete Guide & Biography

Additional sources

en.wikipedia.org

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Frequently asked questions

Did Sabine Schmitz have a husband?

Yes, she was married to a man named Klaus – her long‑time partner. Further details remain private per family wishes.

What was Sabine Schmitz’s net worth?

Estimates place her net worth around $1–2 million, accumulated from racing, television work, and the Ring Taxi business, though no official figure has been confirmed.

How many laps did Sabine Schmitz drive at the Nürburgring?

She is believed to have driven over 30,000 laps of the Nordschleife, a record that earned her the informal title of the track’s most experienced driver (ESPN).

What cars did Sabine Schmitz drive?

She famously drove a diesel Jaguar S‑Type under ten minutes on Top Gear, later a Ford Transit van around the Nordschleife, and BMW M cars as the Ring Taxi driver (Top Gear).

Is Sabine Schmitz in the Motorsport Hall of Fame?

As of 2025, she has not been inducted into the official Motorsport Hall of Fame, though many fans and journalists campaign for her recognition.

What is Sabine Schmitz’s most famous quote?

“The Nordschleife is my living room” – a line she used to describe her intimate knowledge of the track.

Where is Sabine Schmitz buried?

Her family has kept funeral and burial details private. A memorial corner at the Nürburgring was unveiled in 2022 to honour her legacy.