Sabine Schmitz, the first woman to win the Nürburgring 24 Hours, has died at the age of 51 following a long battle with cancer.
Affectionately known as the "Queen of the Nürburgring", she won the famous enduro for the first time in 1996, taking victory the following year too and winning the Nordschleife-based VLN Endurance Championship title in 1998.
Schmitz also became known in the UK for her appearances on BBC show Top Gear.
Her death was announced by Frikadelli Racing, the team she founded, on Wednesday morning.
The Nürburgring also paid tribute on social media, with a spokesperson stating: “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!”
Schmitz first publicly revealed that she had cancer back in 2017, although that did not stop her from attempting to make a return to racing last year.
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