In Pixar's Cars 3, Cruz Ramirez becomes Lightning McQueen's trainer and eventual racing successor.
Cruz begins as a high-tech trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. She helps Lightning prepare for a comeback after Jackson Storm's rise, but her own enthusiasm for racing has been suppressed by years of being treated as a trainer rather than a competitor.
During the film, Lightning recognizes Cruz's ability and encourages her to enter the Florida 500. She ultimately races against Jackson Storm and wins, taking over the role of Rust-eze's principal racer while Lightning chooses a new role as her mentor.
Cruz's arc gives Cars 3 its central generational transition. Lightning does not simply defeat every younger racer; instead, he passes on knowledge and preserves his connection to racing by helping another driver reach the track.