Racing driver and much loved Top Gear star Sabine Schmitz has died at age 51 after a long battle with cancer.
Affectionately known as the "Queen of the Nürburgring", the German-born racing driver was a regular face on the BBC One show Top Gear. A professional motor racing driver for BMW and Porsche, she presented Top Gear from May 2016 to 2020
Her death at such a young age has prompted an outpouring of grief on social media. The famous German racing track was one of the first to issue a statement saying: "The Nürburgring has lost its most famous female racing driver. "Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness. We will miss her and her cheerful nature. Rest in peace Sabine!"
The Nürburgring has lost its most famous female racing driver.
— Nürburgring (@nuerburgring) March 17, 2021
Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness. We will miss her and her cheerful nature. Rest in peace Sabine! pic.twitter.com/MFKNNFOSDU
Jeremy Clarkson, the once long-time presenter of Top Gear wrote: "Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz. Such a sunny person and so full of beans."
In July 2020, Schmitz had revealed via a Facebook post that she had been suffering from "an extremely persistent cancer" since late 2017. Despite receiving aggressive treatment she later let it be known that she had relapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
May you RIP Sabine Schmitz.
