The heavy rain that delayed qualifying for Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix has raised an unusual question: if weather issues prevent the rescheduled session on Sunday, how will the starting grid be set?

Surprisingly, the 2024 F1 rules don’t specify how to form a grid if qualifying is entirely canceled, though a rule addressing this will be introduced in 2025. Next year, as per Article 42.1, the grid will be set based on drivers’ championship standings if qualifying can’t take place, but this change wasn’t made in time for 2024.

Currently, two articles in the 2024 rules could apply. One interpretation, from Article 39.4b, suggests that if no qualifying takes place, grid positions could be based on the last practice session, which due to a sprint format in Brazil, is the first practice session.

That would put Lando Norris on pole, with Max Verstappen starting from the back as he finished P15 in FP1 and has to serve a five-place grid penalty due to changing an engine component. Lewis Hamilton also wouldn’t be happy as he would start from fifteenth and the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez second to last.

Another view is that if sprint qualifying (SQ1) is completed, Article 42.3 would apply, placing Oscar Piastri on pole, which does make sense to most as sprint qualifying is still at least some sort of qualifying.

If neither option is clear, the International Sporting Code allows the stewards to decide the grid order, as they did at the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix. In Brazil, this would likely mean relying on the sprint qualifying results, but the stewards could technically choose any reasonable method.