Sabine Schmitz was the undisputed Queen of the Nürburgring—a ferociously talented racer who turned 20,000+ laps of the world’s most dangerous track into a legendary career, a thriving business, and a TV persona that charmed millions.

EARLY YEARS

Born May 14, 1969, in Adenau, Germany, Sabine Schmitz grew up so close to the Nürburgring Nordschleife that motorsports was practically her backyard. Her family owned a hotel where Formula 1 drivers stayed during race weekends, and young Sabine was utterly transfixed. She had two older brothers who raced recreationally, but she was the only one who would turn that passion into something professional—and world-class.

At 17, without a license and without telling her mother, Schmitz borrowed the family BMW and took her first lap around the Nordschleife. “I never had to learn the track,” she’d later say. “It’s in my blood.” By 1989, at just 20 years old, she was racing competitively. In an era when women in European motorsport were rare enough to be remarkable, Schmitz was already gunning for wins.

OTHER INTERESTS

Schmitz was a helicopter pilot, a restaurateur, and a passionate advocate for children and animal welfare charities. She owned Sabine Schmitz Motorsport, a Nürburg-based company offering advanced driver training and the famous “Ring Taxi” service—because why just race the Nordschleife when you can terrify paying customers around it, too? In 2012, when the Nürburgring faced bankruptcy, she became a vocal advocate for saving the track, emphasizing its importance to the regional economy. She wasn’t just a racer; she was a businesswoman, a community voice, and a larger-than-life personality who never did anything halfway.

EARLY SUCCESS

Schmitz’s breakthrough came fast. In 1996, co-driving a BMW M3 E36 Group N with veteran Johannes Scheid in the Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie (NLS), she won the Nürburgring 24 Hours outright—the first and only woman ever to do so. She repeated the feat in 1997, cementing her dominance. By 1998, she claimed the overall VLN Endurance Championship title, again the first and only woman to achieve it. These weren’t niche category wins; these were outright victories against the best drivers in Europe on one of the most punishing circuits in the world.

Schmitz racked up roughly 50 career wins at the Nürburgring over the years, with 45 of them coming behind the wheel of BMW cars. She became a factory BMW driver and the face of the Ring Taxi service until 2011, driving an estimated 1,200 laps per year—over 20,000 in total across her career. That’s not just experience; that’s encyclopedic knowledge of every kerb, camber, and off-camber nightmare the Nordschleife has to offer.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1996: Won Nürburgring 24 Hours overall (BMW M3 E36 Group N with Johannes Scheid)—first and only woman to do so[1][2][3][4][5].
• 1996-1997: Won Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie (NLS) races[1].
• 1997: Won Nürburgring 24 Hours overall for the second consecutive year (BMW M3 E36 Group N with Scheid)[1][4][5].
• 1998: Won VLN 24 Hours Nürburgring Endurance Championship title—first and only woman[1][2][5].
• 2004: Appeared on BBC’s Top Gear, coaching Jeremy Clarkson to a 9:59 lap in a Jaguar S-Type diesel, then racing him in a Ford Transit van (losing by just 9 seconds)[1][3].
• 2008: Finished 3rd at Nürburgring 24 Hours (Porsche 997 with Land Motorsport team, co-driving with Klaus Abbelen)[1][4].
• 2015-2016: Scored points in FIA WTCC/WTCR with All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport (Chevrolet Cruze)—last woman to score points in the series[2][9].
• 2019: Set fastest seven-seater SUV lap record on Nordschleife (ŠKODA KODIAQ RS, 9:29.84)[3].
• Career: 89 races, 5 victories, 16 podiums, approximately 50 Nürburgring wins, and over 20,000 Nordschleife laps[5][6].

INSPIRATIONS

Schmitz’s brothers raced, and the constant parade of F1 drivers through her family’s hotel provided early exposure to the sport’s elite. Beyond that, her greatest inspiration was the Nordschleife itself—the track she grew up beside, the one she knew better than anyone, and the one that defined her entire career.

REPUTATION

Sabine Schmitz was widely regarded as one of the all-time best racing drivers, and certainly the greatest to ever master the Nürburgring. Peers called her a legend. Nürburgring officials mourned her as “the most famous female racing driver” the track had ever known, noting they would “miss her cheerful nature.” Fellow racer Oliver remembered her as “positive, light-hearted, and a seriously talented racer.”

But her reputation extended far beyond the paddock. Schmitz became a much-loved TV personality, known for her sharp wit, humor, and charisma on Top Gear and D Motor. She had a gift for making high-speed hijinks feel accessible and fun, and her global fanbase adored her for it. She didn’t just break barriers for women in racing—she redefined what it meant to be a motorsport icon, blending world-class skill with genuine, unpretentious charm.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Sabine Schmitz retired from racing and television in July 2019. She passed away in 2020 at the age of 51, leaving behind a legacy that will never be matched. The Nürburgring will always belong to her.

References:

AUB Outlook – Sabine Schmitz Tribute
Racers Behind The Helmet – Sabine Schmitz
Škoda Motorsport – Sabine Schmitz Profile
Females in Motorsport – Sabine Schmitz Tribute
Hagerty – Sabine Schmitz Obituary
Rush Magazine – Sabine Schmitz Tribute
Motorsport Memorial – Sabine Schmitz
Speedhunters – Sabine Schmitz: The Queen of the Ring
The Grid Asia – Sabine Schmitz Profile