Sabine Schmitz death: Top Gear host and racing driver dies aged 51. 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Racing driver Sabine Schmitz, known for her prowess on German circuit Nurburgring, has died aged 51 after a long battle with cancer. EXCLUSIVE: Was Harry and Meghan's interview a plug for his new show? She … '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.'. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy. Top Gear's Sabine Schmitz has died aged 51 after a battle with cancer. Schmitz was best known to British audiences for her appearances on the BBC's Top Gear programme, including races with Jeremy Clarkson, Chris Evans and Paddy McGuinness. Retired British... Ex-teacher, 63, trampled by COWS while walking her dog spent eight days in coma and needed 17 titanium... 'How could ANYONE believe it? Schmitz grew up close to the Nürburgring circuit in western Germany. One of Scotland's richest women Dame Ann Gloag worth £730million wins fight against locals to turn her 11th... Lawyer faces £50,000 legal bill after losing court fight over 2ft strip of land after her record label boss... Was 20-year-old pregnant woman the first victim of Australia's most notorious serial killer? Third wave in Ont. The driver is married to , her starsign is Taurus and she is now 51 years of age. She has presented the BBC's motoring programme Top Gear since May 2016. Such a sunny person and so full of beans. Widely known as the "Queen of the Nürburgring," Schmitz was one of motor racing's highest-profile female drivers and a regular guest on U.K. TV motoring show "Top Gear.". McGuinness today shared a photo of he and Schmitz wearing crash helmets inside a car, writing: 'She gave me pointers on how to drive a Ferrari very fast and hunted me down in a banger race. question that allowed people to pick their own gender, 'Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh': Kate Middleton sports a festive green blazer and Prince William speaks Gaelic as they join Joe Biden in Happy St Patrick's Day video message for the Irish government, 'All these claims are crap!' 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. Sabine Schmitz passes away after a long battle with cancer. The racing team which Schmitz founded with her husband Klaus Abbelen, 60, a fellow driver, announced her death today describing her 'brave fight against cancer.'. She broke further ground in 1998 when she became the first woman to win the Nurburgring VLN endurance racing series. ', Meanwhile, May wrote: 'I never thought car makers should be at the 'Ring, but I always thought Sabine Schmitz should, and would, be. Schmitz first appeared on Top Gear in 2004, when she tried to beat Clarkson's Jaguar S-Type lap around the Nurburgring in a Ford Transit van. She turned professional aged 24, claiming historic victories as the first woman to win the 24 Hours Nurburgring endurance race in 1996, and then again in 1997, behind the wheel of a BMW M3. In 1996, she became the first woman to win its famous 24 Hours race, driving a BMW. Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz. 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. 'I would like to provide enlightenment here, I think I owe it to my/our fans! ", Sabine Schmitz (14.5.1969 – 16.3.2021) passed away yesterday (Tuesday) after her brave fight against cancer. Current host Paddy McGuinness also posted a tribute. It is not known when Abbelen and Schmitz … Rotten news. “Top Gear” presenter and famed racing driver Sabine Schmitz has died following a battle with cancer. Former racing driver and Top Gear co-host Sabine Schmitz has died aged 51. Please stay healthy and cheerful, see you at the 'Ring.''. The comments below have not been moderated. 'Now I have to draw all the strength and nerve to master the next powerful therapies … hoping something [good] will happen. Tributes have flooded in for German racing driver Sabine Schmitz, who has died at the age of 51. The Nurburgring, her home track, mourned the loss of 'its most famous female racing driver', writing on Twitter: 'We will miss her and her cheerful nature. She managed to get within 10 seconds of the saloon car. She made her 1 million dollar fortune with ALL–INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport. ', Clarkson, who hosted Top Gear until 2015, wrote: 'Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz. It was here that Schmitz, the youngest of three sisters, started racing as a 15-year-old and later as a student, between her studies as a hotel manager and sommeliere. It's really sad. 'The 'Queen of the Nurburgring', Sabine radiated positivity, always wore her cheeky smile no matter how hard things got - and was a force of nature for women drivers in the motoring world. Schmitz owned a bar-restaurant in Nurburg named the 'Fuchsr hre . It was in this mode that Schmitz first appeared on Top Gear in 2004, when she tried to beat Clarkson's Jaguar S-Type lap around the Nurburgring in a Ford Transit van. 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': Prince Charles takes swipe at anti-vaxxers, Here's what we know about the Atlanta spa shootings that left 8 dead, Prince Harry has had 'unproductive' conversations with William and Charles since Oprah interview, Gayle King says. "Very sad to hear that Sabine Schmitz (1969-2021) has passed away. 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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. Known as the "Queen of the Nürburgring," Schmitz grew … Will Ontario see another lockdown as the province enters its third wave? They divorced in 2000. Schmitz also worked as a driver on the circuit's "ring taxi," which offers visitors the chance to do a lap of the course as a passenger. Presenter Paddy McGuinness paid … She was known for appearing on BBC’s Top Gear over the years. She gave me pointers on how to drive a Ferrari very fast and hunted me down in a banger race. EXCLUSIVE: 'All these claims are crap!' EXCLUSIVE: 'It has been a nightmare': Strictly's Graziano Di Prima reveals he has postponed his wedding to... Top Gear's Sabine Schmitz, 51, dies after three-year cancer battle: Racing world bids farewell to 'Queen of... What happened to Blessing Olusegun? SABINE SCHMITZ, THE only female winner of the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, has died at the age of 51. Klaus Abbelen and all relatives and friends are deeply saddened by the immeasurable loss.'. On 14-5-1969 Sabine Schmitz (nickname: Sabine) was born in Adenau, Germany. She completed her first lap on the 'Ring just four years later. In recent years she had appeared alongside the most recent hosts of the programme McGuinness, Harris and former England all-rounder, Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff. Top Gear presenter Sabine Schmitz watching during day fourteen of the William Hill World Championships in December 2019, Schmitz, who described herself as a farmer, out riding with friends. Schmitz is best known for winning … "Klaus Abbelen and all relatives and friends are deeply saddened by the immeasurable loss," the tweet reads. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Sabine Schmitz (14.5.1969 – 16.3.2021) passed away yesterday (Tuesday) after her brave fight against cancer. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. Published: 08:35, 17 March 2021 | Updated: 16:01, 17 March 2021. Top Gear star Sabine Schmitz has been remembered as “powerful and irrepressible” and “a proper driving legend” after her death at the age of 51. Schmitz went on to make regular appearances on “Top Gear,” and the show’s former host, Jeremy Clarkson, tweeted: “Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz. She has been absent from the team at last year's Nürburgring Endurance Series when she revealed her illness. : Is a stricter lockdown coming? The Top Gear presenter revealed last year that she had been dealing with a … Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time." ", Schmitz went on to make regular appearances on "Top Gear," and the show's former host, Jeremy Clarkson, tweeted: "Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz. Professional motor racing driver for BMW and Porsche, Sabine Schmitz is well known for driving the BMW "ring taxi" around the Nurburgring race track as well as being a television personality. She was 51. Wednesday, 17th March 2021, 9:56 am. 'Sabine Schmitz (14.5.1969 – 16.3.2021) passed away yesterday (Tuesday) after her brave fight against cancer,' the team said in a statement. 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. 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. CTV National News for Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Sabine Schmitz: Top Gear host and racing driver dies aged 51 Top Gear’s Sabine Schmitz has died aged 51 following a battle with cancer. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter delving into climate science and life on a changing planet. By her own estimates, she whizzed around the terrifying course more than 20,000 times in her life, and last year she had been due to compete in a Porsche at the Nurburgring Endurance Series. So I say goodbye 'probably' for the first time this season. Schmitz, widely known as Queen of the Nurburgring, revealed last year that she had been battling cancer since 2017. Schmitz remains the only ever woman to have won the 24 Hours Nurburgring. T he racing driver and former 'Top Gear' co-host - who joined the BBC motoring show in … 0. 'We spent some time in southern California together and she taught me how to drive, how to actually make a car fly around Daytona.'. Sabine Schmitz was a unique, much-loved and cherished member of our sport's family, and a force of nature for inspiring a new generation of motorsport enthusiasts. "She gave me pointers on how to drive a Ferrari very fast and hunted me down in a banger race," he tweeted. Sabine Schmitz poses with her Porsche ahead of a race in 2010, Sabine Schmitz at the Top Gear premier in London in January 2020, Sabine Schmitz behind the wheel of a sports car with Top Gear host Chris Evans in the passenger seat, Top Gear presenter Chris Harris uploaded this post today of him playfully holding Schmitz around the chest. She was 51 years old. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. In a statement issued by Frikadelli Racing, Schmitz's death was announced today. Insiders claim promoting his upcoming mental health series - mentioned in the two-hour talk - was part of his deal with Oprah and Apple TV, There goes another 100,000 viewers! Tracey Cox reveals the reasons men turn to explicit... Schools urged to teach boys how to treat women and girls with respect on Britain's streets. "Our sympathy goes to her family and friends. She was 51 years old. The two-time @24hNBR winner was an icon at the wheel of the #Frikadelli #Porsche. Such a sunny person and so full of beans. We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. Former Top Gear presenter Sabine Schmitz - famous for being the only woman to win the Nurburgring 24 Hours - has died aged 51. The German driver, known as the Queen of the Nurburgring, revealed last year that she had been battling cancer since 2017. The following year, she repeated the feat. ', Sabine Schmitz in her Porsche racing overalls. JEREMY Clarkson and Paddy McGuinness have led tributes to the legendary female racing drive Sabine Schmitz after her death at the age of 51. Our … Man in 30s dies from COVID-19 in Peterborough. 'Since the end of 2017, I have been fighting an extremely persistent cancer that has not been eliminated with the resources so far. The German driver revealed last July that she had been suffering from 'an … Download the CTV News app now. In 2006, she teamed up with Abbelen, who she married a year later, to race a Porsche 997 in the VLN. Sabine Schmitz, racing driver and TV host, has died of cancer in Germany at the age of 51. 'So sweethearts, now you have an update. 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. Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy, Published Wednesday, March 17, 2021 9:25AM EDT, Sabine Schmitz, 'Queen of the Nurburgring,' dead at 51, Edmunds Compares the Mercedes-Benz GLE and Genesis GV80, Uber grants U.K. drivers employee status in world first, Rescuers save 2 from pickup dangling over deep Idaho gorge, Martin Luther King's traffic ticket changed history's course. Canada's Most Trusted News. Sabine Schmitz was a unique, much-loved and cherished member of our sport's family, and a force of nature for inspiring a new generation of motorsport enthusiasts Sabine Schmitz is seen in undated file photo. (Credit: Thomas Frey / DPA / Zuma). She made me throw up!' Rest in peace Sabine!". pic.twitter.com/G706HGxDTC, #NLS - Very sad to hear that Sabine Schmitz (1969-2021) has passed away. SABINE SCHMITZ'S tragic death at the age of 51 has prompted many of her fans and former Top Gear co-stars to pay heartfelt tributes to her, … ', 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.