There’s a petition asking the Nürburgring to name a corner after Sabine Schmitz

Published Mar 19, 2021

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NURBURG - The motoring world was left in shock on Wednesday following the news that ‘Nurburgring Queen’ and Top Gear star Sabine Schmitz had passed away from cancer at the age of 51.

The petition was started by Dale Lomas, who runs a blog called Bridge To Gantry, and by Friday afternoon the online petition had gained 26 798 signatures on the Change.org website.

“The Nürburgring Nordschleife possesses between 73 and 170 corners, depending on how you count them. Many of which are unnamed,” Lomas said.

“I believe that, like Stefan Bellof, her impact upon the Nürburgring's history (and motorsport) warrants the official naming of a section of the Nordschleife in her honour.

“If you agree, I'd ask you to sign this petition and share it with those in our motorsports family.”

You can sign the petition here.

Sabine, who grew up near the circuit and won the 24 Hours of Nurburgring touring car race with BMW in 1996 and 1997, had revealed last year that she was diagnosed with cancer in 2017.

The German circuit announced on Wednesday that it had "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," it said on Twitter.

She was also known as 'the world's fastest taxi driver' for the passenger rides she gave around the 20.8km Nordschleife. Schmitz estimated she had lapped it more than 20 000 times.

Now that surely deserves the naming rights for at least one corner?

IOL Motoring & Reuters

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