In Pixar's Cars 3, which rookie racer becomes Lightning McQueen's chief competitor?

In Pixar's Cars 3, Jackson Storm becomes Lightning McQueen's chief competitor.

Storm represents a new generation of highly engineered race cars. He is faster, more aerodynamic, and more technologically advanced than many of the veteran racers in the Piston Cup. His dominance makes McQueen question whether experience can overcome the rapid modernization of the sport.

After a serious crash, McQueen begins training with Cruz Ramirez at the Rust-eze Racing Center. His first attempts to compete with Storm fail, and his sponsor’s management pressures him to retire if he cannot return to winning form.

The film ultimately shifts the focus from a simple McQueen-versus-Storm contest to the passing of knowledge between generations. Storm remains a formidable competitor, but McQueen finds a new way to race by helping Cruz develop her own potential. Cars 3 was released in 2017 as the third main film.