What global racing competition is central to Pixar's Cars 2?

The World Grand Prix is the global racing competition central to Pixar's Cars 2.

Sir Miles Axlerod creates the event to promote Allinol, an alternative fuel. The competition takes Lightning McQueen and Mater to races in Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. McQueen enters as a leading racer, while Mater becomes involved in an international espionage plot after being mistaken for an American secret agent.

The World Grand Prix gives Cars 2 a much broader setting than the original film. Cars focuses mainly on a small American town and a domestic championship, while the sequel moves between several international locations and introduces spy-film elements.

The event is fictional and should not be confused with the real World Rally Championship or Formula One. Cars 2 was released in 2011 and was directed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis. Its plot connects the race, the fuel controversy, and the criminal conspiracy involving modified Allinol.