The Top Gear family just experienced a major loss, as Sabine Schmitz, the German racing veteran who served as one of the show’s presenters, has died. Schmitz had been battling cancer since 2017, something she made public just last year. The beloved presenter was only 51 at the time of her passing. Now, many Top Gear alums like Jeremy Clarkson and James May are taking the time to pay tribute to their late colleague.
When Sabine Schmitz first appeared on Top Gear, she joined Jeremy Clarkson, helping him set a lap time around the Nürburgring in a Jaguar S-Type diesel. Upon hearing the news of Schmitz’s passing, Clarkson posted on Twitter, remembering his former co-star with a sweet message. Check out the post down below:
James May’s tenure on the newer iteration of Top Gear didn’t intersect much with Sabine Schmitz. However, the journalist and TV host and plenty of respect for her as a person and as a driver. And his tribute reflected just that:
Top Gear vet Richard Hammond was also among those who paid their respects to Sabine Schmitz. Like his colleagues, Hammond expressed his sadness over hearing the news as he reflected on the racing pro’s legacy:
In another tribute, Paddy McGuinness reflected on the racing advice he received from Sabine Schmitz. He also shared a sweet photo of the two of them:
Like Paddy McGuinness, Chris Harris also shared a sweet throwback photo of himself and Sabine Schmitz. He also included an even sweeter caption in which he describe the late driver:
Top Gear executive producer Clare Pizey also reacted to Sabine Schmitz’s death in a statement (via Deadline). In the message, she fondly remembered the “The ‘Queen of the Nurburgring”:
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. The ‘Queen of the Nurburgring’, 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.
To say that Sabine Schmitz was a major part of Top Gear would be an understatement. Her vast knowledge of racing and jovial personality were more than welcome on the show. While her loss surely cuts deep, it’s wonderful to see so many pay tribute to the Queen.
We here at CinemaBlend extend our thoughts to the loved ones of Sabine Schmitz at this time.
