In Pixar's Cars 3, who is the veteran racer that mentors Cruz Ramirez?

Lightning McQueen is the veteran racer who mentors Cruz Ramirez in Pixar's Cars 3.

At the beginning of the film, Lightning is struggling to compete with a new generation of technologically advanced racers led by Jackson Storm. After a crash, his sponsor assigns Cruz Ramirez to train him at the Rust-eze Racing Center. Their relationship changes when Lightning begins helping Cruz develop confidence and racing skill.

The film reverses the dynamic from the first Cars movie: Lightning is no longer the inexperienced newcomer learning from Doc Hudson. Instead, he becomes the experienced competitor who must decide how to support the next generation.

Cruz ultimately becomes a racer in her own right, while Lightning takes on a coaching role. This is different from the premise in which Cruz is assigned to train Lightning, a frequent confusion with the film's actual mentor relationship.