If you're happy to pay silly money on insurance that's fine.
What I would say, is if you have the opportunity you mentioned to do young people's track days, then get the GTI for that purpose, do all the dangerous driving on the track and once you've got your licence, get a Mk2 1.3 for driving on the road and cheaper insurance.
Once you've been driving a year or two and your insurance has gone down, swap to the GTI.
Accidents will happen in your first year of driving and it would be better not to do it a) at higher speeds or b) in the car you really desire.
I managed to reverse into a wall and then scrape the side of my dads Astra within months of passing my test. But once I got my own car 3 years later I didn't have any accidents.
My first car was a Mk2 Golf 1.8 GL, only 90bhp from a carb engine, but it was plenty and better than my parents Astra, cost me £1200 to insure TPFT at age 20 with 3yrs experience but zero no claims.
Oh and welcome.
And I love small bumper Mk2s, they look great.
