In previous Forza titles, the game would immediately throw you into the UI once you had jumped onto a server for an online race. Giese informs us that this has changed for FM7.
Instead, you're now able to hot-lap the track as you wait to start the race – even if a race has already started. This is a welcome opportunity to quickly tweak your setup before you start your race.
Furthermore, Giese told us that the ability to start non-racing rooms, in essence, ‘open track days', is possible.
Additionally, the Forzavista mode has migrated to the pre-race pit scene. This means that you can explore around your car prior to heading out onto the track. This is a nice feature to see, as it gives that much more immersion to your career within the game.