In Pixar’s Cars 2, what race series forms the centerpiece of the international competition?

In Pixar’s Cars 2, the World Grand Prix forms the centerpiece of the international competition.

The World Grand Prix is a fictional three-race event organized by Miles Axlerod. It brings top competitors together to promote Allinol, a new alternative fuel. Lightning McQueen enters the series after being challenged by Francesco Bernoulli, an Italian Formula-style racer and one of the film’s principal rivals.

The races take place in Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. Their different environments allow the movie to move from a Japanese city circuit to an Italian coastal setting and finally to the British capital. The competition also provides the public setting for Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell’s espionage investigation.

The World Grand Prix should not be confused with the Piston Cup, which is the American stock-car championship associated with the first and third films. Cars 2 combines racing with spy-film elements, so the event is both a sporting contest and part of the movie’s larger conspiracy plot.