Sabine Schmitz

Sabine Schmitz was a German professional motor racing driver and television personality, born in Adenau in 1969 to a hotel and catering family and raised in one of the villages around the Nurburgring. She trained for her parents' trade before choosing racing and driving for BMW and Porsche. She became known as an expert on the Nurburgring circuit, was the first woman to win a major 24 hour race outright, and won two 24 hour races there. She also became a cult figure on television after appearing on the BBC programme Top Gear alongside several of its presenters. She died of cancer in March 2021, aged 51.