Ranked Mode -
Both Ranked Racing and Drift need to make a reappearance in FH5 from FH4. The current online racing system is not rewarding enough for those who take time to practice and learn the tracks / cars. Ranked should offer (rare) rewards based on time spent in races and/or overall average finishing position and/or lap times. Like FH4, titles should be given (like grandmaster but updated for FH5) to the players that rank the highest.
Bringing back Ranked would be great for the game’s retention and lifespan. Ranked in FH4 is one of the primary reasons that game is still holding on to this day, despite all of its problems, such as ELO, pay2win meta cars, and inconsistent servers. Even if they added it back exactly the same and did not change anything, it would still be an improvement to the game’s lifespan and enjoyment. Casual Open Races and Custom playlists would be much more relaxed as the majority of players would have much better competition with the people in their lobby.
As every passing Horizon becomes more and more catered towards the casual player, the competitive community in Horizon games absolutely should be acknowledged. The developers like to say that Motorsport is where we should go for actually serious racing, but there is arguably less competition there since there is no ghosting system and the majority of players fail to brake in time for the first corner, sending you straight into the wall with them.