In Pixar's Cars 3, Jackson Storm becomes Lightning McQueen's first major new-generation rival.
Jackson Storm is a sleek, highly advanced race car who represents the wave of next-generation competitors replacing older racers. His superior speed and modern training methods contribute to Lightning's early-season crisis. Storm's success convinces Lightning that experience alone may no longer be enough to remain competitive.
Storm is voiced by Armie Hammer and races for the Ignition racing team. His dark blue-and-black design, aerodynamic shape, and confident manner visually contrast with Lightning's more traditional stock-car appearance. The rivalry drives Lightning to seek new training and reconsider what his career means.
Cruz Ramirez is not Storm's rival in the same sense at the beginning of the film; she is Lightning's trainer who later becomes central to the story. Cal Weathers is another younger racer, but Jackson Storm is the film's principal high-tech antagonist.