Francesco Bernoulli

**Francesco Bernoulli** is a major character from the 2011 film Cars 2.

## Background

### Personality

Francesco started out as being cocky, as he usually boasted about being the fastest race car in the whole world. He was also arrogant, as shown when he believed that McQueen could not beat him in their races together, which also made Francesco self-centred. It also made him slightly similar to Chick Hicks, but the only difference to Chick is that Francesco did not cheat. He even felt confident that he would win in his home country, but he was proven wrong. However, he does sometimes show care for others, such as when he felt shocked about the other World Grand Prix racers having been involved in a huge crash. By the end of Cars 2, Francesco appeared to become nicer, since he was shown to not be as much boastful as before and felt calmer racing McQueen in the Radiator Springs Grand Prix. Francesco also often refers to himself in third-person view, saying his name and the words "he", "his" and "him". However, he does sometimes refer to himself in first person, such as when he uses "I" and "my" while stating about being in his hometown Porto Corsa.

### Physical Appearance

Francesco is based on a modern Formula One car, while being stated by the Meet the Cars book to be a 2009 Formula FB1 Prototype Racer.

He has brown eyes and is painted in the colours of Italy's flag. The red colour is seen on his nose cone and across the middle of his bodywork, and the green and white colours are seen on his upper bodywork, sidepods and front wing endplates. The colours are also painted on each side of his rear wing. On his nose cone, he also has a picture of the flag with yellow borders, along with a white circle showing his racing number, 1, in black. These are additionally shown on an idol on his sidepods that shows the World Grand Prix logo and symbol. On his barge boards, he has the allinol logo, as well as the letters "FR", which stand for his racing league, "Formula Racer", and look similar to the Formula One logo. Additionally, he wears black tires and red rims. On his tires, there is text reading "Rotelli Tires Pasta Potenza". In Disney Infinity, his tires just say "Rotelli Tires".

## Film Appearances

### Cars 2

Going into the summer, Francesco is selected by oil billionaire Miles Axlerod to be one of the race cars to compete in the World Grand Prix, and is involved in an interview with Mel Dorado and Axlerod. Axlerod mentions that he also invited Piston Cup racer Lightning McQueen as a World Grand Prix competitor, but McQueen had been deciding to take a break after winning his fourth Piston Cup trophy. Boasting, Francesco assures Axlerod and Dorado that McQueen could not beat him anyway, because he has a higher top speed than McQueen. As Dorado receives several calls from the viewers of his show, tow truck Mater makes a call, telling them that Francesco is not to mess with McQueen, and then talks to Francesco to say that McQueen has surprises up his sleeve. At first, Francesco is impressed about Mater's saying that McQueen's break is so he could spend time with his friends, but eventually becomes annoyed when Mater assures him that he cannot be the unstoppable, as he demands for Dorado to skip to another caller. Moments later, McQueen cuts in, telling Francesco that he does not appreciate anyone making that many insults to Mater, as he is McQueen's best friend. Furthermore, McQueen insults Francesco himself by calling him a fragile car, causing Francesco to freak out and soon complain in Italian, before Dorado switches the audio to Axlerod, who asks McQueen if he shall compete in the World Grand Prix, and McQueen accepts, much to Francesco's dismay.

Not long after, Francesco and the rest of the World Grand Prix racers come to Tokyo, Japan for the opening ceremony and race. During the opening ceremony, Francesco is spending time with a couple of his fans, and soon meets McQueen and Mater. This meeting had been planned by Mater, since he wanted to help McQueen while on the tour. Honoured, Francesco lets Mater pose with him, as Mater begins to mention about a huge fan of Francesco's, who is McQueen's girlfriend Sally. With glory, Francesco and McQueen propose a toast, declaring that whoever wins in the first race tomorrow will have their victory dedicated to Sally. In addition, Francesco shows to McQueen a tag on his rear wing that says "Ciao, McQueen", supposed to be seen whenever he would leave a scene. Unbeknownst to Francesco, McQueen threatens to beat him when the race occurs. Francesco is soon involved in Axlerod's introduction of all the World Grand Prix racers to the press and stands with them in a different part of the building as McQueen is the last one to be introduced. As soon as Mater interferes with Axlerod and McQueen after consuming a big amount of wasabi, Francesco laughs as Mater cools himself down with water from the fountain.

For the race the following day, Francesco has been put in eleventh place on the grid, one place behind McQueen. As they line up on the grid, Francesco is preparing himself, then begins to hear McQueen talking to himself about having the speed to win. Responding, Francesco makes fun of McQueen by claiming he has triple speed which would make himself win. When the race starts, Francesco and McQueen make their way through the field, and get into the front before the first turn, with Francesco in the lead. However, as they come onto the dirt roads, Francesco struggles for grip, enabling McQueen and the rest of the field to get past before coming back onto the asphalt. Francesco becomes determined, attempting to pass many of the racers along the way, but is stuck behind McQueen for most of the race. Meanwhile, a couple of the racers crash out with engine blowouts, all occurring behind Francesco. On the last lap, McQueen makes a sudden move to the outside of the loop up to the Rainbow Bridge, because he is hearing random things said by Mater while someone is directing him, and this gives Francesco the opportunity to snatch the lead and win the race.

The second race of the World Grand Prix is set to take place in Porto Corsa, Italy. It has been Francesco's favourite, since he had grown up living there, and is used to knowing the layout of the circuit. In addition, Francesco qualifies for pole position, while getting huge support from all the citizens, even from his mother, who has also come to watch him race. As the start lights go out, Francesco makes a good start to keep in front, and once again tries to make sure McQueen does not get past him. Ultimately, on the final lap, McQueen closes up to Francesco, and they go side-by-side as they head toward the finish line. To Francesco's dismay, McQueen wins the race just a couple of seconds ahead of him. Frustrated, Francesco begins to wonder how come he is beaten, but their argument is cut short as ambulances rush past. Wondering what has happened, Francesco and McQueen are both shocked to find that all the other racers have crashed, due to more engine blowouts. The public begins to assume that the blowouts have something to do with allinol, which is a fuel that Axlerod invented so to try and get the whole world to switch to renewable energy, and it also leaves Axlerod devastated, announcing that for the last race in London, the racers can use any fuel of their choice.

As one of them, Francesco chooses his fuel for the race, being one called "Benzina". Having qualified second, Francesco takes the lead as the race begins. However, as soon as they come through Admiralty Arch, McQueen is back in the lead, while Francesco falls back to second. Soon, Francesco is driving by himself, when a panicking Mater zooms past with rocket jets attached and McQueen holding onto him. Surprised, Francesco is worryingly beginning to wonder what is going on, just before Mater zooms off the racetrack with McQueen. Following, Francesco is still racing, when all of a sudden, secret agent Holley Shiftwell flies past with her afterburners and retractable wings, which makes Francesco alarmed and really wondering what is going on around him. It soon turns out that Mater was trying to save McQueen from a bomb, as some criminals, called lemons, were trying to kill McQueen and make the world dismiss alternative fuel, which Mater soon points out that the lemons' leader is no one other than Axlerod.

Ultimately, Francesco and the other World Grand Prix racers get invited to McQueen's hometown Radiator Springs to compete in an unofficial race taking place around Ornament Valley. Although it is just a normal race, with no press or trophy, Francesco is proud to take part. Before starting, McQueen lets him meet Sally, who is flattered by Francesco's words about McQueen being the "luckiest car in the world". Just as he is about to line up on the grid, Francesco notices that McQueen got him with his own tag on his back bumper, saying "Ka-ciao, Francesco!" Francesco admits defeat, though believing his own was more amusing, but is not shy to suggest driving without fenders, as he feels that it would be enjoyable. As the race begins, Francesco and McQueen make it through the lead and are both calm and happy as they battle for the lead, with McQueen ultimately keeping it. Shortly, Mater joins in after his spy friends Finn McMissile and Holley allow him to have his rocket jets, and joins the field, leaving Francesco surprised once again as Mater zooms past him and challenges his best friend McQueen for the win.

**Films:** Cars | Cars 2 | Cars 3
**Short Films:** Mater and the Ghostlight | Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool | Unparalleled Parking | Dancing with the Cars
**Television:** Cars Toons | Cars on the Road
**Books:** Disney's Wonderful World of Reading
**Locations:** Radiator Springs