On the FE Rally, these cars are indeed very very close. After 2 years with LFS, I am a complete Rally circuit newbie. Two or three weeks now on the STCC servers and this was my first experience on any FE Rally and first real attempt at racing on BL Rally. I just had an excellent run with a fellow, MartyBlack, the other day. I in the GTi and he in the GT. He was in front and I was stuck like glue to his bumper through the dirt. I find FE Rally a very difficult place to make a pass, at least in the dirt. I accidentally tapped him a couple of times in the rear (small taps) and may have been able to use that to my advantage, but definitely didn't want to. I could catch him and stick with him through the dirt, but the extra power/speed of the GT out on the front straight let him pull away. Then back into the dirt and I spent that time catching back up to his bumper, but never did get much of a passing opportunity. Until he caught up to an insident that happened coming off the dirt. I was able to capitalize on that and get by only to have him come by again on the straight. An excellent chase that one was.
The GTi is the only FWD I like. All the other classes I prefer the RWD's. I love the way the tail comes out in the rally tracks with the GTi, then the front wheels pulls it around the apex as opposed to the GT's rear rotating the back end and pushing it around. Out on the road courses, unfortunately I cannot compete with the extra speed of the GT's in my little GTi. I can keep them in view up ahead, but just can't catch them.
The one other spot in FE Rally that hinders me with the GTi vs. GT is the slight straighter section in the middle of the dirt. Around the hairpins, the GTi owns, but then the hairpins are broken up with that bit of striaghter section that allows the GT to gain making the final corners of the dirt another catch-up section. I think without this slightly straighter section, the GTi would own the GT at FE Rally as you could catch and pass in the dirt, then it would be the GT trying to catch and pass in time along the front straight rather than already be caught up at the beginning of the front stretch.
Oh well, that's what racing is all about. Capitalizing on the strengths of your car and weaknesses of your adversary.