Rod Chong from SpeedHunters explains the direction SHIFT 2 Unleashed is taking in the physics department in this lengthy article on SpeedHunters.
If you're not into reading the whole thing, the final statement sums it up quite nicely:
So to answer your questions: YES the driving experience of SHIFT2 UNLEASHED is squarely in the realism space and the physics experience is much improved and evolved.
SHIFT2 UNLEASHED>>ON THE SUBJECT OF PHYSICS