Lando Norris has jokingly claimed he will have his appendix removed to boost his chances of a Grand Prix win after Carlos Sainz's victory in Australia.
Sainz triumphed at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, with the Spaniard's victory coming just 16 days after undergoing appendix surgery.
The emergency appendectomy had led to the 29-year-old being forced to miss the Saudi Grand Prix.
Sainz led a Ferrari one-two with Charles Leclerc finishing as the runner-up.
Norris rounded off the top three, securing McLaren's first podium finish of the season.
Lando Norris shared a photo with Carlos Sainz, with the effects of the Spaniard's surgery clear
Norris joked that he is now going to get his appendix removed following Sainz's victory
Sainz led a Ferrari one-two in Melbourne with Charles Leclerc finishing as the runner-up
Sainz revealed he had jokingly suggested to Norris he should also have his appendix removed.
‘It is what I told Lando, I said maybe you should get your appendix removed this winter, you should do it because there may be a tenth in it,' Sainz told Sky Sports.
‘We were talking about it on the podium.’
Norris, who is still searching for his maiden Grand Prix victory, joked he might take up the suggestion.
'Yeah clearly you do it and you win the next race, so maybe next time you'll see me running like Carlos,' Norris said.
The British driver also shared a photo with the Ferrari driver on social media, which revealed the dressing still present as he continues his recovery from the surgery.
'Gonna go get my appendix removed,' Norris wrote.
'Apparently you do it and you win a race soooooo…. congrats Carlitos #weightloss'
Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri placed third and fourth in Melbourne, with the former reflecting on a good day for McLaren.
'It was a very good day for us,' Norris said.
'I'm very happy and proud of the team because P3 and P4 is a lot of points in the championship. So that's the first thing.
Norris and his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri finished third and fourth at the Grand Prix
Sainz celebrated victory just 16 days after he underwent an emergency appendectomy
'We missed out on Charles, I think our pace was a little bit better. He undercut us in the first stint so maybe a little bit of hope for second place, I think our pace was strong enough today.
'But Ferrari and Carlos did a very good job, so hats off to them, they've been fast all weekend. I felt good, I could manage the tyres very well today, it was a good step. Probably wasn't expecting to be on the podium so I'm very happy.'
'It's clear that this circuit suits us a little bit more so we've been able to push and unlocked a little bit of speed.
'But it's still another step to Ferrari and Red Bull, they are one or two steps ahead of us still. So we need to catch up but it's clear we are getting closer and a day like today proves that.'
Sainz triumph came as three-time world champion Max Verstappen was denied the chance of a 10th straight victory.
Verstappen was forced to retire from the Australian Grand Prix with a brake failure four laps in.
