Which international race is the centerpiece of Pixar's Cars 2?

The World Grand Prix is the international race at the center of Pixar's Cars 2.

The competition is organized by Sir Miles Axlerod to promote Allinol, a new alternative fuel. Lightning McQueen enters the event, while Mater becomes involved in an international spy adventure after being mistaken for an American agent. The story moves the franchise beyond Radiator Springs and uses famous world locations as race settings.

The World Grand Prix includes races in Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. Its courses mix city streets, waterfront roads, and landmarks with the exaggerated vehicle-centered action of the Cars universe. The event provides the film's main racing structure while the spy plot creates a second, more action-oriented storyline.

The World Grand Prix should not be confused with the Piston Cup, the American stock-car championship from the first and third films. Lightning is associated with both competitions, but the World Grand Prix is specifically the globe-spanning contest introduced in Cars 2.