Not anything against your point, as it is valid, but its all a bit funny since that's been a claim against Forza's graphics for some time now.
It's not like this is the first time this has happened in this section, though.
When FM6 launched without dynamic time nor weather, there were all sorts of critics. When it was confirmed GTS wouldn't have them, some people were quick to praise the new focus on framerate.
FM5 was a launch title with a car lineup drastically smaller than the previous game. It was raked over the coals. GTS is coming three years into the PS4's lifecycle, with a car list barely more than 1/10th the previous game (or, if we want to look at only the Premiums in GT6, it's still about 1/4 or so). Some people are quick to praise this new focus on quality.
Forza – and even Driveclub – have been derided as "cartoony" for years by some in comparison to the "realism" of GT6. GT Sport adds dollops of colour and life to the otherwise drab looks of GT6 (IMO, making it less realistic, but massively more appealing to look at), and some people are quick to praise.
Personally, I'm happy with the focus on 60fps in spite of the dropped dynamic systems, and I think GT Sport is looking pretty good (the Photomode is still one of the most interesting aspects to me).
I'd be annoyed if they wasted time doing something as trivially superficial as move some gameplay-inconsequential "switches" about.
Right there with you. Though I maintain that's one of the avenues I'd love to see racing game producers explore: as cars get ever more complicated, universal traction and stability control seems increasingly archaic. If all the clever antics of Ferrari's manettino switch are done by electronics, couldn't they be translated to the games? I'd love to be able to fiddle with all the different modes of cars like the 488 or, since we're talking about Gran Turismo, a GT-R.