Yes, but is having an Idris or any other ship (over the starting Aurora) a huge benefit in all aspects of the game? I guess it comes down to what personal goals you have, and how you envision your playstyle. I don't think the Idris would help in that test mission they showcased. If getting an Idris is a goal in itself, then yes, but why play the game, if you already "won" it at start. If PvP is a goal, then again yes, maybe a Super Hornet is better than an Aurora during e.g. protection missions, and it gives you a benefit. But is locked in 1 vs 1 PvP a major mandatory part of the game? Fight or flight?
From another point of view, the same Aurora would beat the Hornet in terms of doing missions that involve hauling. Every ship and play style has its strengths and weaknesses. You could of course, get them both, but you still only fly one at a time. Is it an advantage? Yes. Is it paying to win? No, because the "victories" are your own. If you win, it doesn't mean somebody else has to lose. The definition of pay to win, has to include a measure of winning over other players in a design that locks in both parties to the same mechanics.
Some ships, with higher maneuverability fits people with joysticks rather than keyboards, while others support k&m players better. With skill, people flying Merlins have a good chance of beating a Hornet (but not without a challenge). I mean even peripherals like 4k screens, track ir, could help you bypass game time by speeding up battles and improving stats (get more money), but then again, the "balance" of game styles will likely be asymmetrical, which is reflected in ship design, cockpit field of view and so on.
So, yes, I will not have an edge in combat, which means I will have to compensate by getting better at flying or avoiding battles I'm likely to lose. Odds, are uneven in real life too, and it poses a bigger challenge. But as we have seen through history, expensive equipment can be countered by other means. Two minimum pledgers could e.g. team up and beat the dollar pilots through quantity.
People will have different and better ships, no matter what, and as long as it's possible to adapt to any given situation, I'm comfortable with it. If people want to buy the best combat ships from the get go, that's ok, but eventually probably won't change much in the game.