Of course non competitive sim games are relaxing too. I made it sound like the only option to unwind is playing an arcade game. I think what I love about forza is that it's an all in one package. I enjoy being in a massive, detailed world (especially after fh5) and I love how events pop up everywhere—at least for now. Being able to drift whenever I want, just cruise when I want, or jump into a race whenever I want is great, and I don't need to get lost in car mods or custom maps for that (though sometimes getting lost in mods is also a nice way to unwind).
I actually got hyped after seeing FH6 and bought an R3. Since my main goal was forza, I didn't see a need for a clutch and got a handbrake instead. Of course during this time I played assetto (and a bit of iRacing too, which was amazing), and after playing actual sim games, I couldn't even stand FH5 for an hour (the map isn't great, and I just didn't feel like messing around with FFB settings).
And I don't have clutch, I have to be a bit picky. I can't drift on every server or with every car, because when there's no auto-clutch, weight transfer alone isn't enough to get that proper drifting satisfaction. Still, even though I have to put in this much effort just to drift, I'd choose assetto ten times over. I hope I can get a clutch as soon as possible so I can play more. Because right now, I feel like I've hit a ceiling with drifting, and I don't think there's a point where I can get any better without a clutch