'Indy loss will make Marco better' says engineer.

Despite his heartbreak at missing out on Indianapolis 500 victory last Sunday, the team behind rookie Marco Andretti believes that his run at Indy will do wonders for his future form.

As any 19 year-old would be, Marco Andretti was disconsolate after Sam Hornish Jr grabbed the lead with just metres of the 'Greatest Spectacle in Racing' remaining. However his Andretti-Green Racing race engineer Eddie Jones believes that the whole Indianapolis experience, including the fraught final five laps, will benefit the third generation driver immensely, perhaps as early as this weekend in Watkins Glen.

"Coming off the month of May with what amounts to a very extended test session as well as a spectacular race at Indy really did a lot for Marco's confidence," said Jones, who helped guide Dan Wheldon to the 2005 IRL IndyCar Series title. "He now knows that he's capable of not just running with the best, but winning. We had good test at Watkins Glen with Marco and we feel confident about having a set-up that Marco likes on that fast-flowing road course."

Largely thanks to his second place finish at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway Marco heads into Sunday's Watkins Glen Grand Prix on the full 3.37-mile layout sitting ninth in the championship and hoping to emulate his second place showing in last years Indy Pro Series race at the former home of the U.S. Grand Prix.