Formula 1, Disney, and Mercedes-AMG are marking the 20th anniversary of Cars at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix. Lightning McQueen takes an honorary lap at Monza, and the official FIA safety car gets a one-weekend-only Cars livery.
Kachow! The seven-time Piston Cup champion is going to Monza.
Formula 1, Disney, and Mercedes-AMG announced Thursday that Lightning McQueen will make a special appearance at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, running September 4 through 6, including an honorary lap of the historic circuit.
He arrives with a new look built around the Disney and Formula 1 collaboration, and he is not the only vehicle getting a repaint.
The F1 safety car is getting a Cars makeover
The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+, which debuted earlier this season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, receives a bespoke Cars-inspired look created exclusively for the Monza weekend.
The safety car leads the formation lap and deploys any time there is an incident. It appears on the world broadcast repeatedly across a race weekend.
So Disney has effectively placed Cars branding on a visible piece of working race equipment millions will see if they watch on Sunday.
The car itself is special as the first official FIA Formula 1 safety car with fully variable all-wheel drive.
Why Lightning McQueen Day falls on September 5
Lightning McQueen Day lands on Saturday, September 5, in the middle of the race weekend. The date was picked to match his racing number: 95.
Nine, five. September 5.
Perfect timing!
What’s in the Cars x Formula 1 collection
Fans at Monza can shop a Disney and Pixar’s Cars with Formula 1 collection trackside all weekend.
The assortment covers apparel, accessories, collectibles, and Mattel die-cast vehicles built around the crossover. Select pieces are also available online through the Formula 1 Official Online Store and DisneyStore.com.
Some of that line already surfaced last month. Disney sold Cars x Formula 1 items during its D23 merchandise drop, including a $600 Lightning McQueen varsity jacket and a $60 baseball cap, several of which were available for a single day only.
How Disney and Formula 1 teamed up
The two companies first collaborated in 2025, bringing Mickey Mouse and other classic characters to the Las Vegas Grand Prix with a show at the Fountains of Bellagio.
About three weeks ago, Disney and F1 announced they were extending the collaboration through 2028 and adding Cars to the program for the first time. Monza is the first race weekend to feature the franchise.
A Cars team-up just makes sense.
Cars is celebrating 20 years
Cars arrived in theaters in 2006, the last film John Lasseter directed before Pixar’s Disney acquisition closed, and it grew into one of the studio’s most commercially durable properties, largely through merchandise.
Disney is also building a Cars-themed land at Magic Kingdom. Piston Peak National Park is under construction in Frontierland, with two attractions confirmed: Cars Ridge Run Rally and Miss Fritter’s Daredevil Spin-Along. Neither has an opening date.
How to watch the Italian Grand Prix
Monza is the 77th running of the Italian Grand Prix and the 13th round of the 2026 season.
Track action begins Friday, with the Grand Prix itself starting Sunday at 9 a.m. Eastern.
The circuit runs 5.793 kilometers and is known as the Temple of Speed, rewarding straight-line pace and slipstreaming more than almost anywhere else on the calendar. It has produced some of the closest finishes in the sport’s history.
Whether the safety car actually deploys is up to the drivers. If it does, a few hundred million people are going to watch a Mercedes dressed as Lightning McQueen lead the field around Monza, which is a sentence that would have sounded ridiculous twenty years ago and somehow does not now.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
-
Formula 1 (September 3, 2026), the official announcement of the Monza activation, the safety car specifications, and the honorary lap details
-
Disney Experiences and Disney Parks Blog (September 3, 2026), the Cars x Formula 1 collection contents and the online availability
-
Motor Illustrated (September 3, 2026), the September 5 Lightning McQueen Day connection to the number 95 and the September 4-6 weekend dates
-
Bleacher Report (September 3, 2026), Julia Stumbaugh’s report on the announcement and the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix collaboration
-
Speedway Digest (September 3, 2026), the Monza circuit details and the 77th Italian Grand Prix designation
Pirates & Princesses (TM) (Stylized as PNP) is an independent, opinionated News and Information site focused on Travel, Entertainment, Fashion, the “Geek Girl” Lifestyle, and more. We focus heavily on Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Orlando Resort, and other themed entertainment and travel destinations. Our news staff includes former theme park and entertainment industry employees, journalists and dedicated pop culture and theme park enthusiasts. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of this site, our affiliates or our sponsors.