Marquez back on his bike again very soon

Madrid – Six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez (right) is optimistic about recovering from the arm fracture that made him miss last season but said he wasn’t planning a bid for another world title this year.

“My goal is to enjoy being on the bike again and little by little to get back to being as fast as I was,” said Marquez during his team Honda’s presentation for the upcoming season.

“What you have to understand is that you cannot expect after 10 months away from the bike to arrive at the first race and be the same Marc.

"It’s the first time that I have been so long without being on the bike and I don’t know what that first lap will be like, but I know it will not be 100%.”

Marquez fractured his right arm on 19 July when he fell in the first Grand Prix of last season, an injury that required three bouts of surgery, the last in December.

“The bone is now healing well,” added Marquez.

He returned to training at the beginning of February and feels positive about his recovery but will not set a date for his return.

“I follow my body,” he said, appearing alongside his compatriot and partner Pol Espargaro, who has joined from KTM.

“I am increasing my work at home but I don’t know when I will be able to return to competition,” he said.

“My hope was to get to the Qatar test event (on 6-12 March) but the doctors have already told me to forget it, so now it’s about trying to get to the Qatar race (on 28 March).”

Marquez, who handed over the MotoGP crown last season to his compatriot Joan Mir, has practically ruled himself out of the title fight this year, despite Mir’s comments that he is a favourite. –