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Jenson Button and Danica Patrick on US GP 'surprise' and Mercedes' chances of hitting back in F1 2021

The US GP had a 'Mercedes track' and Red Bull won. The Mexican GP is a 'Red Bull track' - can Mercedes respond? Sky F1 pundits Jenson Button and Danica Patrick review the Austin weekend and what it means for Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton's epic title battle

Image: Max Verstappen with NBA icon Shaquille O'Neal after clinching his first US GP win

Jenson Button believes Max Verstappen and Red Bull's United States GP triumph means there could be plenty more surprises to come in the incredible F1 championship run-in, with fellow Sky Sports F1 pundit Danica Patrick also expecting a fight-back from Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes.

A crucial weekend that started with Mercedes as favourites and dominating the opening practice session ended with Red Bull taking pole and the race win - their first in four races.

It has resulted in another swing in momentum in a 2021 title race that continues to deliver, with Verstappen now 12 points ahead of Hamilton while Red Bull have cut Mercedes' lead in the team standings to 23 points.

But with five races left and still so much to play for, Button is expecting the unexpected - even when heading to what is typically a Red Bull stronghold in the Mexican GP, live on Sky Sports F1 on November 5-7.

"This is supposed to be a Mercedes track, and Red Bull won," said Button, the 2009 world champion, after the Circuit of the Americas race.

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Sky F1's Paul di Resta was at the SkyPad to analyse how Max Verstappen won the United States Grand Prix ahead of title rival Lewis Hamilton.

"We say that Red Bull is very strong in Mexico but then we look at the straight-line speed of the Mercedes, it's massively fast.

"I think this year has proven that we are surprised pretty much every race we go to so we really don't know who's going to be competitive at the next race, and that's why we love it."

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Patrick, one of the most successful and recognisable female racers in history, also believes Mercedes won't be panicking just yet.

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Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes did everything they could to win the race, but ultimately couldn't compete with the pace of the Red Bulls.

"True champions know how to come back," said Patrick on her Sky F1 debut. "I feel like Mercedes still had a great attitude today - both Toto [Wolff, team boss] and Lewis seemed really cool and calm and I think that's going to pay off.

"They've been around, they've accomplished a tonne and this one race isn't going to phase them with five to go."

Red Bull had quicker pace than Mercedes throughout Saturday and Sunday - even though the margin between Verstappen and Hamilton was so slender at the end as different tyre strategies brought the title rivals together.

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Max Verstappen managed to hold off Lewis Hamilton to take the chequered flag in Austin and extend his championship lead to 12 points with five races to go.

But Mercedes, F1 champions for the past seven seasons, were indeed pragmatic after the race, hoping their deficit was track-specific and eager to return to their pre-USA form in the final five races.

"This still isn't a bad, bad race for Mercedes," Button stated. "Lewis is very calm and I think it's because he knows they did nothing wrong this weekend, they did everything right, it is what it is.

"Whereas in Turkey they obviously made mistakes, lost points, and he was quite angry on team radio."

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Red Bull's Max Verstappen expressed his relief at securing the win after successfully holding off Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race at the Circuit of the Americas.

Patrick added: "I thought Toto seemed calm, Lewis seemed calm and at the end of the day there's basically a quarter of a season left. That's a lot of season left and a lot can happen.

"At this point in time you have to look at the positives, and that's that five races left. DNFs are possible and being exceptional just as they have done in history is totally possible."

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