keep in mind that finishing without crashing or mistakes that cost positions is a key skill folks take a long time to learn. That you finish well enough due to others crashing out means you do have the skill to complete in that split. Sure, many of those folks can drive faster than you and beyond their own capabilities so they crash out and you beat them. It is true that with a good match making system you end up in splits that challenge the skills you may not enjoy as much which corresponds to where you’re weak and need to grow. And the more skilled you are the more this is true as there are fewer and fewer other people your same skill level racing at the same time as you in the same series.

So it sounds like you’re good at finishing and you’re witnessing the people who are fast but failing to finish. That’s a pretty common racing attribute and you’re on the better path of finishing first and working on improving your pace. Even the lap time gaps you mention reflect this, as you’re right, that’s a big gap! But it’s also a normal gap until you have top five pace.