Cruz Ramirez becomes a professional racer in Pixar's Cars 3.
Cruz begins the film as a high-performance trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. She is assigned to help Lightning McQueen prepare for competition against the younger and faster Jackson Storm. Although Cruz initially lacks confidence in her own racing ability, she has strong technical knowledge and a genuine passion for the sport.
After setbacks during Lightning's training, the story shifts toward Cruz's own potential. Lightning recognizes that she can compete at the highest level and gives her the opportunity to race. Cruz ultimately takes over as the active Rust-eze racer, while Lightning adopts a new role as her mentor.
This development makes Cars 3 different from the first two films. The original Cars focuses on Lightning's transformation from selfish rookie to team player, while Cars 3 explores mentorship, changing careers, and making room for a new competitor.
Cruz Ramirez is voiced by Cristela Alonzo in the English version. She is a yellow sports coupe with a distinctive bright color scheme and becomes one of the franchise's major characters.