Sabine Schmitz, A Sad Goodbye
One of the motorsport world’s characters, Sabine was that square peg in a round hole. A fabulous racing driver, with style, personality and ability, and also a woman. Which isn’t a sexist take, it is just a fact that motor sports tend to be predominantly male dominated. Though Sir Stirling Moss’s sister Pat, was evidently a rally driver of some renown in her day.
Known as the queen of the Nurburgring, and ‘The fastest taxi driver in the world’, she not only went around the track an estimated 20,000 times, she actually won the 24 Hours Nürburgring twice, in 1996 and 97.
Hollow Legs
We met her on our first ever mobile bar job. A long time client had rang to ask if we knew any bar companies as they had a major bar job for a party being held by Sony and Nissan. Turns out that the top drivers in a video game released by Sony Corporation were being trained as drivers in a touring car series sponsored by Nissan. The winners had been announced and a party was being held for them.
We did our usual trick of stating that we have been doing bars for absolutely ages, when do you want it for? Turns out we ended up being given 7 days to design and build a mobile bar system, train the staff up and provide the service.
Like so many times before, my significant other told me I was bat shit crazy, there was no way we would get away with it. And like so many times before, we pulled it off a treat.
Sabine was one of the guests there, and boy could that girl drink. I was popping her Jager bombs all night, and at one stage I remember her piloting a segway around the room. In fact she ran another driver over. I thought it was Martin Brundle, but another member of staff insists it was Johnny Herbert. Whichever she flattened them good style.
By the end of the night, she was coming up with that smile and asking what we had left. ‘Erm, rum, gin and lucozade.”
“Yes Please”
“Which one Ms Schmitz?”
“All off dem!”
Gee she must have had hollow legs, I think she was the last one standing at the party.
RIP Sabine Schmitz