In December 2004, Schmitz gained further recognition in the United Kingdom after appearing in the BBC television show "Top Gear" with presenter Jeremy Clarkson. After Clarkson (under her tutelage) set a lap time of 9 minutes 59 seconds around the Nürburgring in a Jaguar S-Type diesel (Series 5, Episode 5), she castigated his best lap with the comment "I tell you something, I do that lap time in a van". She did a lap in the Jaguar S-Type, and set a time of 9 minutes 12 seconds, beating him by 47 seconds. When trying to film Schmitz as she drove the S-Type, the film crew were unable to keep up, and had to get Jaguar test driver Wolfgang Schubauer to drive the Jaguar S-Type R chase car. Schmitz also drove a Ford Transit diesel van in an attempt to beat Clarkson's time set in the Jaguar S-Type diesel, missing his time by just 9 seconds (Series 6, Episode 7).