Cars 3 is the Pixar Cars film centered on Lightning McQueen's threatened final Piston Cup season.
The film begins with McQueen as an established champion facing younger, faster racers led by Jackson Storm. After a crash, he receives pressure to retire and begins a new training program with Cruz Ramirez. His goal is to prove that he can still compete at the highest level.
Cars 3 was directed by Brian Fee and released in 2017. Its story returns to the racing and small-town themes of the first film after Cars 2 expanded the franchise into international spy comedy.
The phrase “final season” describes the film's story situation rather than a separately documented real-world racing season. McQueen's eventual choice also shifts the focus from preserving his own career to supporting Cruz's future.