Which fictional racing driver is Lightning McQueen’s main rival in Pixar’s Cars 3?

Jackson Storm is Lightning McQueen’s main rival in Pixar’s Cars 3.

Storm represents a new generation of racers whose speed comes from advanced design, simulation, and modern training methods. He quickly becomes the dominant competitor on the Piston Cup circuit, while McQueen struggles to match the performance of younger cars. Their rivalry begins the film’s story about technological change and the fear of becoming obsolete.

Jackson Storm is distinct from Chick Hicks, McQueen’s principal rival in the first Cars film. Chick is a green veteran racer who uses aggressive tactics, whereas Storm is a sleek black next-generation car whose confidence comes from overwhelming results. Armie Hammer voiced Storm in the English version. The character’s racing number is 20, while McQueen retains number 95.