What international racing competition is the focus of Pixar’s Cars 2?

The World Grand Prix is the international racing competition at the center of Pixar’s Cars 2.

Organized by the wealthy former racer Miles Axlerod, the World Grand Prix takes competitors to three major locations: Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. Lightning McQueen enters the event, while Mater becomes involved in an espionage plot after being mistaken for an American agent.

The race is designed to promote Allinol, a new alternative fuel. Cars 2 combines the competition with a spy-movie storyline involving secret plans, modified race cars, and a conspiracy connected to the fuel campaign. This makes the sequel substantially different in tone from the small-town character story of the original Cars.

The World Grand Prix is not the Piston Cup. The Piston Cup is the domestic stock-car championship featured in Cars, whereas the World Grand Prix is an international event created specifically for Cars 2.