Cars 2 features the World Grand Prix as its central racing event.
The World Grand Prix is a fictional international competition created by oil magnate Sir Miles Axlerod. Lightning McQueen is invited to race, and the event takes him to Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. The races are designed to promote Allinol, an alternative fuel introduced as part of the film’s larger plot.
Although Lightning is the official competitor, Mater becomes equally important after secret agents Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell mistake him for an experienced spy. The film therefore combines international racing with a spy-movie structure, unlike the small-town road story of the original Cars.
Cars 3 returns to a more traditional racing focus involving the Piston Cup and Lightning’s competition with Jackson Storm. That difference can cause the two sequels to be confused. Cars 2 was released in 2011, while Cars 3 arrived six years later in 2017.