I love this game so much, no racing game has or probably (hope I'm wrong) ever come close. The freedom to pick your route is phenomenal, the controls and feel of the game is unmatched in racing. It's obviously an arcade style racer and not super realistic, but for those who don't care much for racing sims, this game is fantastic. If you decide to try it out, learn how to use the handbrake around turns, in certain cars like the Emu or Bryanston V, you end up losing no speed around turns and even sometimes gaining it. The game is very challenging and requires loads of effort, if you're looking for something casual, look elsewhere.
Once again, I am in love with this game and have completed it over 20 times, I've genuinely lost count (for a while I was taking screenshots).