German racing driver and TV personality Sabine Schmitz died on Tuesday after a years-long battle with cancer.
(David M. Benett / Dave Benett / WireImage)
Schmitz, 51, grew up in his family’s hotel located within the boundaries of the 20-kilometer Nürburgring Nordschleife racing circuit and became one of the most successful drivers and most recognizable face, earning the nickname “Queen of the Ring.”
It is estimated that she has completed 20,000 laps on the track and is the only woman to win the exhaustive 24 Hours of the Nürburgring, having won consecutive events in 1996 and 1997.
Schmitz gained global fame after appearing on the BBC program “Top Gear” in 2002 in a segment where she and host Richard Hammond attempted to drive a commercial van down the track in less than 10 minutes.
She then became a co-host of the show in a cast that included “Friends” star Matt LeBlanc and appeared on several other shows in Germany and the UK
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Schmitz publicly revealed last July in a Facebook post that she had been dealing with the disease since 2017, writing: “I have been battling an extremely persistent cancer that has not been eliminated with the resources so far.”
“It got a little better – but now it is back at full strength.”
Many of his former colleagues and co-stars paid tribute to Schmitz on social media after news of his death.