In Pixar’s Cars 2, what is the name of the Italian Formula One car?

Francesco Bernoulli is the Italian Formula One car in Pixar’s Cars 2. He is Lightning McQueen’s chief rival in the World Grand Prix and is designed as a highly confident international racing star.

Francesco competes against McQueen in races held in Japan, Italy, and England. His dramatic personality and repeated boasts create much of the rivalry’s comedy, especially because he assumes that his speed and fame make him unbeatable.

The character’s visual design draws on open-wheel racing cars rather than the stock-car style associated with McQueen. John Turturro voices Francesco in the English-language version. The film also includes real racing personalities in voice roles, including Lewis Hamilton, who plays a technologically advanced race car named Lewis Hamilton.

Francesco is sometimes confused with Max Schnell, another World Grand Prix competitor. Max is a German sports car, while Francesco is the Italian open-wheel racer. Cars 2 also introduces the international spy plot involving Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell, but Francesco’s role is primarily tied to the racing storyline.