Iconic German racer Sabine Schmitz passed away earlier this year after a three-year battle with cancer. Soon after her death, fans petitioned for a corner to be named after the late race car driver who was synonymous with the track. This will soon become a reality as the Nurburgring has announced that a corner will indeed be named after Schmitz and have chosen the first corner of the 22.5 km Nordschleife on the outskirts of Nurburg. The official inauguration will take place on September 11, 2021, as part of the six-hour ROWE 6 Stunden ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen race of the Nurburgring Endurance Series.
undefinedSabine-Schmitz-Kurve on the Nordschleife!
— Nürburgring (@nuerburgring) June 18, 2021
➡ Highest honour for "the ambassador of the Nürburgring".
➡ First corner on the Nordschleife receives her name
➡ Schmitz grew up a few metres away - in Nürburg
➡ Official ceremony: 11 September, 6h race Nürburgring Endurance Series pic.twitter.com/J4FTBL2PPI
This is the first corner after the Grand Prix course meets the Nordschleife during endurance races that feature the full course, which will be named the 'Sabine-Schmitz-Kurve.' It's a sharp left-hander that heads downhill. It's an honour for the late driver who served as a strong ambassador for the track over the past decade and even fought to keep the circuit alive during its financial troubles.
Sabine Schmitz covered over 33,000 km on the Nurburgring circuit
The 51-year-old grew up close to the Nurburgring and had lapped the circuit for over 33,000 km in the countless races she competed there. She was a veteran of the famous Ring Taxi program and knew the track on an innate level having won the Nurburgring 24 Hours twice with her 1996 victory being the first one by a female driver. The Sabine-Schmitz-Kurve is a fitting tribute then to the 'Queen of the Nurburgring.'
