What is the name of the race held in Tokyo at the start of Pixar’s Cars 2?

The race held in Tokyo at the start of Pixar’s Cars 2 is the World Grand Prix.

The World Grand Prix is organized by Miles Axlerod to promote Allinol, a supposedly clean alternative fuel. Its opening race takes place in Tokyo, followed by events in Italy and England. Lightning McQueen enters the competition, while Mater becomes involved in an international espionage plot.

The event is separate from the Piston Cup, the domestic racing championship central to the first Cars film. That distinction matters because Lightning’s fame originally comes from Piston Cup competition, whereas Cars 2 expands the setting into an international championship.

Cars 2 uses the World Grand Prix to visit several real-world-inspired locations and introduce spy-movie elements. The Tokyo race therefore functions both as a competition and as the story’s launch point.