Danny Watts produced an encouraging performance in qualifying at Sepang to secure a place on the front row of the grid for the latest round of the A1GP season.

Electing not to use his PowerBoost until qualifying for the feature race, Watts qualified on the third row of the grid for the sprint race but was then one of the men to beat in the later segments of qualifying – when the vast majority of teams elected to play their joker.

When Watts played his joker, he went on to post the second quickest time behind Adam Carroll to put GB alongside Ireland on the front row of the grid.

“It was a good session and we have proved we have the pace,” he said. “My lap in the sprint race qualifying felt really good so I was a bit disappointed to be sixth, although at that point I didn't know who had used the PowerBoost.

“My feature qualifying lap was not very good at all and in fact I apologized to the team as I crossed the line for a poor effort. To find I was second was great – I think the PowerBoost bailed me out on the straights! We should have been a lot quicker though and that gives me confidence. Tomorrow is going to be a big day and that's where it all matters. We have the pace and we're focused now on race day.”

Team principal Katie Clements admitted that the PowerBoost had given qualifying a different look but said she was hopeful of a strong run on race day.

“It's been a pretty exciting afternoon and this new PowerBoost rule has really shaken up the grid,” she said. “I am very pleased with the team's performance and the pace that we have shown.

“Tomorrow is going to be a hard day for Danny and the other drivers dealing with this extreme heat and humidity in a very long race. I am very hopeful based on today's showing that we can secure some strong results.”