You're completely and thoroughly missing the point.
It's not just a "simulator". There's a game in there too that you are forced to navigate to get to that "simulator".
All the crap and tedious busy work with crap cars I'm forced to slog through with terrible AI opponents for hours on end? Yeah, see, that's not a simulation, that's part of the game direction that is needlessly obtuse and boring.
Here's a tip: You can have a great on-track simulator, with the best physics in the world and tire deformation algorithms, but if you force the player to grind through (needlessly, I might add) hours of boring and repetitious chores just to be able to have the privilege of driving something better than a Suzuki Cappuccino after 12 hours, it doesn't really matter. Some of us have lives. I dropped $60 on your game. If I want to start it up, and race a Dodge Viper against a Ferrari 458 around Laguna Seca, or maybe do a quick hot lap between a Boxster S, Z4, and SLK and see who comes out on top, I should be able to. Without having to sink dozens of hours into the game first.
If you're starting a career mode, sure, there are going to be goals that have to be met to move up to better cars and events, and those you have to earn. But that shouldn't be forced on every player in every situation, especially when the competition does it infinitely better.