Watts ready to convert LMP2 pole

Watts recovered from an early spill with Audi driver Tom Kristensen at La Source to record a blindingly fast 2m03.135s and put the ARX-01c tenth on the grid overall.

"I'm hoping for a trouble-free race," said Watts. "I am not going to rest on my laurels there is a lot of work still to be done.

"Of course it's important to score points tomorrow, but even Saturday afternoon these days, it's very important to get the point for pole. That could be important later in the season.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long six hours and the inclement weather will play its part at some point during the race and probably come back again. We have just got to be on the top of our game strategically and us as drivers need to make the right calls with what the circuit's like. It can be very different from one side to the other.

"We are going to have to stay focussed."

Watts paid tribute to the Strakka team and its development programme with Michelin, which he believes has boosted the competitiveness of the package.

"The Michelin tyres and all the development work that has gone into them has paid dividends," he said. "We have managed to marry the car up to the tyres perfectly and it's just down to the hard work back at Strakka. On the engineering side we have a really good set-up."