Sabine Schmitz Net Worth, Husband, Children, Cancer, Illness, Cause of Death, Cancer Type, Marriage

March 17, 2021 Editor

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Sabine Schmitz Biography – Sabine Schmitz Wiki

Sabine Schmitz was a German racing driver and television personality. She was widely known as the “Queen of the Nurburgring.” She won the 24-hour race at the fabled Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit twice, in 1996 with Johannes Scheid and Hans Widmann and in 1997 with Scheid, Hans-Jürgen Tiemann and Peter Zakowski, in a BMW M3. She raced a Porsche in the same event in 2008 to finish third. She later impressed with her own team Frikadelli Racing, which she had founded with her husband, Klaus Abbelen.

She was also known for her appearances on British motoring show Top Gear in 2004, in which she famously attempted to lap a Ford Transit van around the 15-mile circuit under 10 minutes. She subsequently became a presenter on the show alongside Chris Evans in 2016.

Sabine Schmitz Age

She was born on 14 May 1969, Adenau, Germany. She died on 16 March 2021. She was 51 years old.

Sabine Schmitz Husband

Is Sabine Schmitz married? She was married to Klaus Abbelen from 2007 until her death in March 2021. She was previously married to her first husband, a German hotelier and she was known by her first married name of Sabine Reck. They divorced in 2000.

Sabine Schmitz Children

Sabine Schmitz and her husband Klaus Abbelen did not have any children.

Sabine Schmitz Cancer – Sabine Schmitz Illness

The German racer revealed in July 2020 that she was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. She said via a Facebook post: “Dear friends of professional motor sport. Many of you have probably wondered why I was on the list of participants on our Porsche in the NSL and then didn’t drive after all.

“I would like to provide enlightenment here, I think I owe it to my/our fans! Since the end of 2017, I have been fighting an extremely persistent cancer that has not been eliminated with the resources so far. It got a little better – but now it’s come back with full force.

“Now I have to draw all the strength and nerve to master the next powerful therapies … hoping something [good] will happen. So I say goodbye ‘probably’ for the first time this season. In addition, I would like to thank everyone for their help and support in my everyday life, and encouragement in writing!”

Sabine Schmitz Death

Sabine Schmitz passed away on 16 March 2021, at the age of 51 after a long battle with cancer, the Frikadelli Racing Team she founded with her husband Klaus Abbelen confirmed. The racing team tweeted: “Sabine Schmitz (14.5.1969 – 16.3.2021) passed away yesterday (Tuesday) after her brave fight against cancer. She was 51 years old. Klaus Abbelen and all relatives and friends are deeply saddened by the immeasurable loss.”

The Nurburgring tweeted: “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!”

Formula 1 said in a statement: “Pioneer, champion, Queen of the Nurburgring. Sabine Schmitz was a unique, much-loved and cherished member of our sport’s family, and a force of nature for inspiring a new generation of motorsport enthusiasts. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this sad time.”

Clare Pizey, executive producer of Top Gear, 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.

“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. 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.”

Paddy McGuinness, who has hosted Top Gear since 2018, paid tribute to Schmitz in an Instagram post. McGuinness wrote: “I spent a glorious couple of days in a Ferrari with Sabine and she hunted me down in a banger race. What a woman, what a legacy, what a life. Very sad news. RIP the great Sabine Schmitz.”

Sophia Floersch, a fellow German female racing driver who became the first F3 racer in 2020, paid tribute to Schmitz, saying: “Very sad news for motorsport. Sabine is the queen at @nuerburgring. She always will be unreachable in the Green Hell. Seeing her races was inspirational and motivating. My deepest condolences to the family. RIP Sabine.”

Sabine Schmitz Cause of Death

Sabine Schmitz’s cause of death was cancer.