Marquez cools MotoGP title talk as he fights back from injury nightmare

"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 on Monday.

"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 percent."

Marquez fractured his right arm on July 19 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 March 6 to 12) but the doctors have already told me to forget it so now it's about trying to get to the Qatar race (on March 28)." 

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 always a favourite.

"When your rivals see you as the favourite for a title, it's always appreciated," said Marquez. "I don't intend to come in and put pressure on myself by getting to the first race and saying that I have to win.

"The objective is to get on a motorbike, have fun again and from there find a good level and fight for podiums and victories. How long will that take? I don't know."