Winning not long after joining

I don't know if anyone else has had this, but I started getting podiums and wins not long after my first few races. Is this a bug, or is it just good team management? 

Well you see, if your management is good enough and the other players are inactive/poor in their management, then there is nothing suspicious with your run. Just reflects good management and in addition, the difference between teams in rookie tier is not that significant in the first place since even the best team is not at all far ahead when it comes to developing the car. Clearly, a team which has the crucial attributes strong (Acceleration, Braking, Handling and Downforce) will be in a good position everytime.

Good management!

I placed in the top 10 in my first 3 races. Then went and read almost everything in the forum for two days and then I won 9 race straight. I won my first full season in rookie and now in my second full season I am leading in pro over people that are up to 6 levels above me. 

Many people are only playing casually and can't be bothered to read guides and such. I spend at least 4-6 hours every day looking at past races that people have uploaded on youtube, doing quick races of the same track, looking for better staff/drivers, reading everything new in the forum, revisiting old threads that I have bookmarked to refresh my memory, looking at weather reports, pondering about my setup and doing theoretical simulations in excel etc. etc. before every race.

I also started recording all my races so I can go through and look for things that I can improve for the same race next season.

Preparations and good management makes a HUGE difference :)

That's surely alot of effort you put into the game lol. I just read up the rules and Gerard's and Joey's helpful guides (thanks alot to both of them), just apply them and it works well for me for now. Although I'm aware as the level will increase I will have to give more of an effort and sort out the stats to remain competitive

Rookie is very easy 

Well I really do love it. So it is really not work for me, it is a hobby :)

Yeah you are right, it will indeed get tougher and tougher. Everyone in pro is a championship winner (or second) and every one in elite is a winner of winners :D
I see a lot of elite players that still have no clue though. Reading and applying those guides will take you far.