When F1 met Cars – Celebrating 20 years of the movie

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Disney Pixar film 'Cars', Lightning McQueen made a special appearance at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, featuring a unique, one-off livery. The film, released in 2006, has deeply influenced many of today's F1 stars, including championship leader Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, and Liam Lawson, who has long cited McQueen as his childhood racing hero. Beyond the screen, the franchise has maintained a strong connection to F1 through cameos by legends like Mario Andretti and Michael Schumacher, as well as various international dubbing roles. Throughout the trilogy, numerous F1 drivers, such as Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Jacques Villeneuve, have lent their voices to characters in regional versions of the films. For fans like Liam Lawson, the movie was a foundational experience that inspired his early racing career, and his love for the series remains a notable part of his journey in the sport.