If the new Sonic Racing game doesn't have Big the Cat, NO DEAL!

"I don't see anything wrong with just sticking with the franchise for this racing game"
The series was never only about sonic, it's a spin-off racing game inside of another spin-off series called "Sega Superstars" that started on the playstation 2. It's like saying that making the next smash bros with just mario characters because "bros" is in the title would be a improvement

The insane roster was what made the series shine outside of being another desperate sonic spin-off with a dumb idea, it was a amazingly well made tribute to the Sega golden age of arcade racing games and their silly over the top style that everyone missed since the Dreamcast
It was not just "whoever the fuck we can throw in there", it all basically ALL of the hit properties that made the conpany what it is today, from Monkey Ball, Shenmue, Golden Axe, NiGHTS, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Virtua Fighter, Shinobi, Alex Kidd and even a promise of the inclusion of Yakuza and Bayonetta in the next title. And now it will be just Sonic and relevant characters from the last lukewarm title that SEGA will already forget about next year, being another sad reminder that Sega has no other business than beating the same dead horse over and over.