EXT. PRESS STAGE - LATER
Post-race press conference. Francesco is center stage.
DARRELL CARTRIP
"Francesco, over here! Hey, what was your strategy today?"
FRANCESCO
"Strategia? Francesco needs no strategy, it's very simple. You start the race, wait for Lightning McQueen to choke, pass him, then win. Francesco always wins. It's boring."
McQueen, waiting in the wings, rolls his eyes. He suddenly notices something O.S.
McQueen's P.O.V. - It's MATER, appearing from a side street, moving toward the pits, oblivious of the press conference.
DARRELL CARTRIP
(TO FRANCESCO)
"I gotta tell you, dude. You were in trouble for a while. That dirt track section had you crawling!"
As McQueen SNEAKS AWAY ---
FRANCESCO
"To truly crush one's dream, you must first raise their hopes very high."
IN MCQUEEN'S PIT GARAGE – Mater, Ralph and Darius look around for everyone as McQueen approaches.
MCQUEEN
"Mater."
MATER
"Hey McQueen! What happened? Is the race over? You won, right?"
DARIUS
"Uhm... What is going on."
MCQUEEN
"Get out of here Darius we're gonna have a little private conversation here, guys."
RALPH
"Okay let's go."
Darius and Ralph left the garage.
Kristoff left too.
MCQUEEN
"Okay, Mater what the heck are you Yelling while I racing."
MATER
"Yelling? Oh, you thought... that's funny right there. Nah, see that's' cause I seen these two fellers doing some sort of karate street performance. It was nutso. One of them even had a flamethrower ---"
MCQUEEN
"A flamethrower? What are you talking about? I don't understand. Where were you?"
MATER
"Going to meet my date."
MCQUEEN
"Your date?"
MATER
"She started talking to me as a voice in my head, telling me where to go ---"
MCQUEEN
"What!?"
MATER
"Wait a minute -- I didn't screw you up, did I?
MCQUEEN
"I lost the race because of you!"
MATER
"Well, I'm sorry. I didn't mean ---"
MCQUEEN
"An imaginary girlfriend, flamethrowers. This is exactly why I don't bring you along to these things!"
MATER
"Maybe if I, I don't know, talked to somebody and explained what happened I could help."
MCQUEEN
"I don't need your help. I don't want your help."
McQueen left.
PRESS (O.S.)
"Hey, there he is!!"
The press finds McQueen, swarms him. Mater is pushed backwards as the questions fly again.
PRESS
"- McQueen, you had it in the bag!"
"- Yeah, what happened?"
MCQUEEN
"I made a mistake. But I can assure you, it won't happen again."
On Mater. He takes this badly, Ralph, Darius and Kristoff felt bad for Mater who are hiding in the garage while McQueen and Mater argue.
MCQUEEN
"Look, guys. We know what the problem is and we've taken care of it."
SMASH TO:
OVER FOOTAGE OF FRANCESCO and various other highlights:
BRENT MUSTANGBURGER
"Lightning McQueen loses in the last lap to Francesco Bernoulli in the first race of the World Grand Prix
and three, count em, three cars flamed out leading some to suggest that their fuel, Allinol, might be to blame."
FOOTAGE OF MILES AXLEROD, speaking to an aggressive press. He must SHOUT over the press.
MILES AXLEROD
"Allinol is safe! Alternative fuel is safe! There is no way my fuel caused these cars to flame out!"
IN THE TV STUDIO - Darrell, Brent and David talk to camera.
DARRELL CARTRIP
"Well, the jury may still be out on whether Allinol caused these accidents, but one thing's for sure: Lightning McQueen blew this race."
Off a FROZEN IMAGE of McQueen crossing the finish line, a look of severe consternation across his face ---
BRENT MUSTANGBURGER
"Team McQueen can't be happy right now."
--- MATCH CUT TO ---
INT. AIRPORT - JAPAN - DAY
--- McQueen's SMILING FACE, on a Team McQueen poster. REVERSE to reveal Mater, Ralph and Darius looking at it, sadly. He drives on, passing (but not noticing) ---
--- GREM and ACER.
TO BE COUNTNIED!!!!
Next Chapter: The Escape of Tokyo Airport
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𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝟮 𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠
ActionThe World Grand Prix, a competition that draws the top race cars from all around the world, invites racing superstar Lightning McQueen. Mater, Ralph and Darius are mistaken for American spies with the help of British agents Finn McMissile and Holly...
