Sabine Schmitz Dies: Top Gear Star Was 51

Sabine Schmitz, the German racing driver who was a presenter on Top Gear, has died.

She was 51 years old.

Schmitz revealed in a Facebook post last summer that she was battling "an extremely persistent cancer."

Frikadelli Racing revealed on Tuesday that Schmitz had passed away.

Top Gear executive producer Clare Pizey said:

“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."

“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," the statement continued.

"Like everyone else who knew her, we will truly miss her — Sabine really was one of a kind. 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.”

Schmitz became the first woman to win the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1996 and went on to pull off another win the following year, solidifying herself as the “Queen of the Nürburgring.”

Schmitz first appeared on Top Gear in 2004. She beat Jeremy Clarkson's best lap around the Nürburgring in a Jaguar S-Type by 47 seconds.

She later returned to the series in 2005 and 2008 before becoming a full-fledged presenter in 2016.

Her final appearance was on Top Gear Season 28, which concluded in October.

“Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz,” Clarkson wrote on Twitter. “Such a sunny person and so full of beans.”

Added Richard Hammond, “Very sad to hear of the passing of Sabine Schmitz, a proper driving legend who’ll be sadly missed by many. The Ring has lost its Queen.”

"She gave me pointers on how to drive a Ferrari very fast and hunted me down in a banger race. Brilliantly bonkers and an amazing human being! RIP the great Sabine Schmitz," said Paddy McGuinness.

"I never thought car makers should be at the ‘Ring, but I always thought Sabine Schmitz should, and would, be. Rotten news. #RIP," tweeted James May.

"The Nürburgring has lost its most famous female racing driver," reads a tweet from the Nürburgring's official Twitter account.

"Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness. We will miss her and her cheerful nature. Rest in peace Sabine."

May she rest in peace.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.