Why Malta, not Victorious, was the better postwar carrier bet

Should HMS Victorious have become a postwar test carrier while the Malta class was completed?

No; Victorious was too badly worn, so the stronger policy would complete the Malta class and retire the wartime carriers rather than rebuild them.

Victorious had already suffered substantial wartime damage, making an undamaged carrier a better starting point for experimental conversion. In a scenario intended to strengthen postwar Britain, the preferred policy is to complete the Malta-class carriers and retire the worn wartime ships. This avoids investing further resources in hulls whose condition and remaining service life already limit the return. The choice sets the prestige of famous veterans against purpose-built future carrier capacity.