In Pixar’s Cars 3, who becomes Lightning McQueen’s trainer and racing partner?

In Pixar’s Cars 3, Cruz Ramirez becomes Lightning McQueen’s trainer and racing partner.

Cruz is introduced as a high-performance trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. She helps Lightning prepare for a new generation of racers led by Jackson Storm, but she initially believes that her role is to train others rather than compete herself.

The story develops Cruz from a support character into a racer with her own ambitions. Lightning eventually recognizes her talent and encourages her to enter the Florida 500. Her knowledge of modern training technology and her natural racing ability make her an important part of the film’s resolution.

Cruz is voiced by Cristela Alonzo. She is not Sally Carrera, Lightning’s longtime friend, or Holley Shiftwell, the spy introduced in Cars 2. Natalie Certain is a racing analyst who appears in Cars 3.