I should mention that I want to do a few trial laminations in a mould made from a 3D printed part and finally go on to creating a replica Formula 1 racing wheel.

But yeah you can make carbon fiber parts "the cheap way" (it's how i do it), and sure, it's harder to get a perfect finish, and there will always be some imperfections. But it's the compromise you make for saving money. I wouldn't want to make a usable formula one steering wheel this way, but if it's for decoration only, then sure why not! The structural integrity is a lot lower for wet lay than prepreg stuff. So as long as it's not a part used for strength, and you can glance over a few tiny air pockets or weave not parallel, then go for it!