In Pixar’s Cars 2, what racing series does Lightning McQueen enter around the world?

In Pixar’s Cars 2, Lightning McQueen enters the World Grand Prix, an international racing series held in several countries.

The competition is organized by former oil tycoon Miles Axlerod, who presents it as a showcase for alternative fuel. McQueen competes for Team Lightning McQueen, while his friend Mater becomes involved in the film’s spy storyline.

The World Grand Prix is a fictional event created for Cars 2. Its races take place in Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London, giving the film a globe-spanning structure unlike the first Cars movie, which centers largely on Radiator Springs and American stock-car racing.

The event is sometimes confused with the Piston Cup, the fictional American championship from the first Cars and Cars 3. The Piston Cup remains important to McQueen’s racing career, but the World Grand Prix is the central competition in Cars 2.