In Pixar's Cars 3, the next-generation racer who challenges Lightning McQueen is Jackson Storm.
Storm is a sleek, technologically advanced competitor whose speed and modern training methods make him a major threat to Lightning's career. His arrival begins the film's central conflict: experienced racers are being replaced by younger cars designed with advanced aerodynamics, simulation and data analysis.
Jackson Storm is different from earlier rivals. Chick Hicks is Lightning's antagonist in the original Cars, while Francesco Bernoulli is his flamboyant competitor in Cars 2. Cal Weathers is a veteran racer related to the racing world but is not the film's principal new challenger. Storm's role represents the generational change that drives Cars 3's story.