[Saba Sports News] An 18-year-old Italian will bear the future of Mercedes; how does Antonelli become the successor to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton? Recently, British media analyzed this question in depth. The Sun stated that preparing Antonelli for F1 in a short time is clearly a daunting task, especially considering he has only participated in motorsport for three years. The European Formula series is also an FIA-certified event that effectively sits between F4 and F3 in terms of level. Therefore, it is logical for Antonelli to skip F3 and go directly to F2. Moreover, this year marks the first season for F2 using new regulation cars, providing a good reference for assessing young drivers’ potential. After two-thirds of the season, Antonelli ranks sixth in the driver standings and has won two races in Silverstone’s sprint race and Budapest’s main race. Subsequently, within regulatory limits, Mercedes arranged intensive testing with older cars for Antonelli to help him accumulate mileage and experience. Current regulations impose strict limits on testing; at most, he can occasionally conduct tire tests for Pirelli. Therefore, apart from two first practice sessions held on Fridays this season, Antonelli can only conduct private tests with Mercedes’ 2021 and 2022 older cars. Mercedes team CEO Toto Wolff believes that private testing combined with Friday practice sessions benefits Antonelli’s growth. In response, some fans expressed that for rookie drivers, accumulating mileage is crucial, especially when driving a less competitive car as it better hones their skills.