Cruz Ramirez becomes Lightning McQueen's trainee and later competitor in Pixar's Cars 3.
Cruz begins the film as a trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. She helps McQueen prepare for the new generation of high-speed competitors, although her methods initially frustrate him. As the story develops, Cruz's own ability and long-suppressed ambition become clear, and McQueen recognizes that she deserves an opportunity to race.
Cristela Alonzo voices Cruz Ramirez. The character is a yellow sports coupe with a background in training rather than professional competition. This distinction matters because Cruz is not simply another established rival like Jackson Storm; her arc is about discovering that she can become a racer herself.
By the conclusion, Cruz takes McQueen's place in a race and adopts a racing identity connected to Doc Hudson's legacy. McQueen does not disappear from the story: he changes roles, supporting Cruz while continuing to work with her. Cars 3 therefore frames mentorship as a two-way relationship rather than a one-sided lesson.