What international racing competition drives the plot of Pixar's Cars 2?

The World Grand Prix drives the plot of Pixar's Cars 2.

The World Grand Prix is a fictional international race created by Sir Miles Axlerod to promote Allinol, an alternative fuel. Lightning McQueen enters the competition, while Mater becomes entangled in a spy operation after being mistaken for an agent.

The competition has three main race locations: Porto Corsa in Italy, Tokyo in Japan, and London in the United Kingdom. Its international structure allows the film to move from a familiar Radiator Springs setting into a globe-spanning adventure.

The races are connected to the film's criminal plot. A group of cars known as the lemons plans to use electromagnetic weapons against racers, then blame Allinol for the resulting crashes. This makes the World Grand Prix both a sporting event and the story's central cover operation.