In Pixar’s Cars 2, Miles Axlerod is revealed to be the villain behind the World Grand Prix plot.
Axlerod presents himself as a former oil baron who has become an environmental campaigner and organizer of the World Grand Prix. He promotes Allinol, an alternative fuel, and uses the race as a worldwide demonstration of its supposed benefits. The apparent public-relations event conceals a plan to manipulate the race and discredit the fuel.
The conspiracy uses electromagnetic weapons to cause racers running on Allinol to crash. Professor Zündapp is one of the agents working for the plot, while Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell investigate it. Mater discovers Axlerod’s identity after piecing together clues that the professional spies initially miss.
Axlerod is sometimes confused with Professor Zündapp because both are involved in the villainous operation. Zündapp is the scientist and henchman; Axlerod is the mastermind who secretly controls the scheme.