In Pixar’s Cars 3, which character does Lightning McQueen train to race?

In Pixar’s Cars 3, Lightning McQueen trains Cruz Ramirez to race.

Cruz begins Cars 3 as a Rust-eze Racing Center trainer assigned to help Lightning prepare for competition against Jackson Storm. Although she is highly knowledgeable about training technology, she has not pursued her own dream of becoming a professional racer.

Lightning initially treats Cruz as a coach rather than a teammate. Their sessions eventually reveal that she has strong racing instincts and a deep personal connection to the sport. At the Florida 500, Cruz takes over Lightning’s race car and competes against Storm.

Louise Nash is a retired racer who helps Lightning understand racing history, while Sally Carrera is Lightning’s friend and romantic partner. Natalie Certain is a statistical analyst, not the trainee who becomes a racer.