there you have a screenshot of the correct config, but if ALT+TAB to check the file, you can see that's already wrong...
<pad_axis_left texte="AxisX" />
<pad_axis_right texte="AxisX" />
(there's also a second screenshot on that link where you can see the wrong value after just changing options tabs)
Although I'm not sure how you're getting the propper input actually, I expected that value to have a minus or something, but it doesn't, yet boost and reverse thrust work as expected, but in the config file there's no apparent difference between them...
<pad_axis_boost texte="AxisY" />
<pad_axis_reverse_thrust texte="AxisY" />
If I knew how exactly this is being differentiated, I could try hardcoding the config file, in any case, for whatever reason, the problem seems to be that's it's not paying attention to the "-" / "+" on any of the steering axis, whatever axis in whichever direction you input, gets a minus (thus, when you use left and right on the same axis, you get this bug where you can't steer, because both directions are mapped to the same minus-whatever-axis)
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aaaaaactually, that last paragraph is half true, it only applyes to the steer right config, it always get a minus whatever axis you input, for if you input them the other way around, right to the left, and left to the right, it works just well and you can play the game just fine (although, of course, with inverted controls)
Also, just realized how you get to differentiate the axis direction/sign (on config file), hardcoded the propper values and alas...it works like a charm ♥ (although you have to never ever touch the config screen again)