In Pixar's Cars 3, Lightning McQueen's trainer who later becomes a racer is Cruz Ramirez.
Cruz begins the film as a high-tech trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. She helps Lightning use simulators and modern training methods after Jackson Storm's rise exposes the limits of Lightning's older approach. Cruz is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, but she initially lacks confidence in her own racing potential.
As the story develops, Lightning recognizes that Cruz has the speed and ability to compete. Their relationship changes from trainer and trainee to teammates, and Cruz ultimately takes over the racing opportunity Lightning gives her. This conclusion connects the film's themes of mentorship, identity, and passing knowledge to a new generation.
Cruz is voiced by Cristela Alonzo. She is not the same character as Holley Shiftwell, the British spy introduced in Cars 2, or Sally Carrera, Lightning's friend and the attorney in Radiator Springs.