Started with pad + manual on PS5 (too lazy to set wheel up at first) very good.
then pad + manual on PS4, also good.
Now mostly wheel + manual on PS5 (still have to set up wheel each time but worth it) Personally I am much smoother with pedals + wheel than gamepad so am quicker when racing also less likely to crash...
as for Gold'ing all the licenses: don't know but suspect whatever you can be smoother on will be better.