Fans unite to name a Nürburgring corner after Sabine Schmitz

If fans of Sabine Schmitz have their way, the “Queen of the Nürburgring” may soon receive a royal honor. A petition being circulated on change.org aims to have a corner of the iconic German racetrack named after Schmitz, who died earlier this week.

The petition, started by Dale Lomas, has more than 30,000 signatures so far.

In 1996, Schmitz became the first and only woman to win the Nürburgring 24 Hours and later added a second victory there. Two years later, she also became the first woman to win the VLN Endurance Championship title. Schmitz won nearly 50 career races on the famous German circuit.

“The Nürburgring Nordschleife (North Loop) has between 73 and 170 corners, depending on how you count them,” Lomas writes. “Many of which are unnamed. 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 honor.”

Schmitz, 51, revealed last year that she had been battling cancer since 2017. Born on May 14, 1969, she grew up in Nürburg and naturally became interested in racing after meeting many F1 drivers who stayed in her family’s hotel. Her first lap of the Nürburgring was in her mother’s BMW at age 17, a feat she kept secret since she wasn’t yet a licensed driver. Schmitz estimated that she had completed more than 20,000 laps at the Nürburgring, one of the most challenging tracks in the world.

“I never had to learn the track,” Schmitz said. “It’s in my blood.”

One day soon, a corner of the famous racetrack may carry her name. You can help make it happen.