In project cars 2 there was an option to remove the crowds from the tracks by adding the steam launch parameter skip crowds. I don't think it works in AMS2. Crowds are kind of a resource hog and I need all the frames in VR!
Im glad they cut back on things that didnt need to be 3D, i notice the trees are 2D compared to PC2's 3D ones, they look much better in 2D and im guessing that free's up lots of processing. 3D crowds and trees just seem to be a waste of resource, when you're driving past them at 100mph!