The secrecy around the true potential of Andrea Kimi Antonelli makes it difficult to judge Mercedes’ decision-makiꦛng, it has been suggested.

Antonelli is now♌ the clear and obvious contender to replace Lewis Hamilton, who is heading to Ferrari next year, in a Mercedes F1 car.

Carlos Sainz’s ⛦signing at Williams 🍸removed him as a small possibility and has paved the way for Antonelli, the talented teenager who is now in his rookie F2 campaign.

Antonelli has also teste𝔉d a Mercedes but his proficiency remains♛ unknown.

“No𓆏ne of us can see what is happening in testing so we don’t know how strong i🍨t has been,” Bernie Collins told the Sky F1 podcast.

“The other series’ results, you can’t look at those on their own, becau✨se of car performance and team performance. It isღ really difficult to get a read. But results have picked up.

“I was interested that he commented he might not be ready himself, which is interesting from a driver. These guys are confident beyond what we can imagine, 🦂generally!”

Antonelli won his secondꦡ F2 race in Hungary then admitted: "I don't know if I will bꦺe ready, to be honest. I'm still learning a lot in F2.

"I definitely still make a lot of mistakes and the details th🉐at really matter, I'm st𝄹ill not doing everything right. I just want to be honest."

Ferrari's strategy for young drivers

Collins added: “The other interest🍒ing aspect is George’s route into Mercedes through Williams who ✅still take their gearbox and engine.

“I wonder if, internally, James Vowles said they don’t want to be a junior team, and they want to build a team in their own right. Because that would have been a softer landing for Antonelli, to go th🃏rough Williams then to Mercedes a year later.

“We were all impressed by Oliver Bearman in Jeddah, he did a fantastic job in the F🅠errari. 

"Potentially it would have been safer for “Ferrari to take Nico Hulkenberg or Kevin Magnussen from their ‘junior’ team [Haas], if you want to put it that ꦫway.

“Next year, Bearman is going into the Haas.

“It’s interesting the two different ways that Mercedes and Ferrari have attဣacked the younger guys that they want in their car.”

Craig Slater said about Antonelli: “I can’t see another option for Merce🌠des.”