What is the name of the Italian racer competing against Lightning McQueen in Cars 2?

Francesco Bernoulli is the Italian racer competing against Lightning McQueen in Cars 2.

Bernoulli is a Formula One-inspired open-wheel race car and one of the headline competitors in the World Grand Prix. He is portrayed as extremely confident and frequently boasts that he is faster and more famous than Lightning. Their rivalry provides much of the film’s racing comedy.

The character is associated with Italy and races in the event’s major international locations: Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. His design reflects the narrow body, exposed wheels, and aerodynamic form associated with open-wheel racing rather than a stock car.

Francesco is voiced by John Turturro in the English version. He is not the same character as Max Schnell, a German racer, or Carla Veloso, a Brazilian racer. Those competitors also appear in the World Grand Prix, but Francesco is Lightning’s most prominent racing rival in Cars 2.