So far, Project Cars 3 to me is a bit polarizing and mind-boggling. The announcement of this game came out of nowhere and the direction is the opposite from what I expected. I was expecting an evolution of the formula that came from the previous 2 installments, but this is more of a revolution. A complete change in the direction.
Yes, I hear that the driving physics have not changed (possibly have gotten better) and the gamepad controls are now really good (I'll love that if that's the case). There's even now a familiar career mode layout and some customization thrown into the mix. However, throwing out features like qualifying and pitshops just is so odd. Those factors plus the change in the UI makes the game feel more arcade than what the developers are saying it is. It just seems more of a light sim than a sim. (In which from what Chris Haye has said, it probably is).
Now I can get SMS wanting to maybe perhaps cast a wider net of players that play lighter sims like Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport. However, in spite of that; I can't fathom getting rid of certain features that their core audience liked. Gran Turismo Sport and Forza Motorsport might not be as realistic to play as probably Assetto Corsa or IRacing, but they still had pitstops. Honestly, I really don't see why they feel that it's impossible to not be able to still appear to the core sim crowd while appealing to the masses.