Yea, I only miss the position of a couple of buttons for my look left and right and I had 1 at each side, but on the DFP there all in the middle, apart from that it rawks.
Ps, You should of saw me trying 720 degree with the XFR, was fine when I was turning but I clipped the grass (Westhill) and I was gone lol. That's the last time!
By 'faster', I simply mean 'quicker round a race-track'... Like you mention, I think it's achieved by lock-to-lock transitions being a lot easier/quicker, so the driver can basically floor it out of corners and rely on quick countersteering over keen throttle modulation.
Other than wheel, I've only played with a gamepad (very briefly ), so I'm just theorizing But watching replays of those I know to be using a joystick, it does seem to be the way they drive, and when they switch to a different method, I think they have to relearn the game somewhat
No, he does pretty well. He's not sideways, and the rear wheels seldom completely break traction, he simply throws the car around without much concern for countersteer.