In Pixar’s Cars 3, Cruz Ramirez trains Lightning McQueen after he struggles against newer racers.
Cruz is a high-tech trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. She initially approaches McQueen with simulator data, exercise programs, and modern training methods designed for the younger generation of racers.
McQueen resists some of her methods because he wants to compete on his own terms. Their relationship changes when he begins to understand Cruz’s abilities and her long-held dream of racing.
Cruz ultimately becomes an important part of McQueen’s racing future. Cars 3, released in 2017, focuses on mentorship, changing technology, and the transition between generations rather than the international spy plot of Cars 2.