shift+key to show/hide the mouse is the best solution, combined with the N button you don't have to move the map to the left to navigate to a user ..and just by simply using N again, you can bring up the connections list and take the appropriate actions.
Anyway I have another idea: In order that the navigation between racers is better, why not make it, so when you are spectating someone, it would use a different background for that same racer in the connections list (while we're at the connection list discussion :razz.