Marc Marquez hoped that he could return to racing this year after having surgery on his right arm in June.

• Marc Marquez could make a surprise appearance on the grid this season.
• The Repsol Honda rider is still the highest-placed Honda rider on the grid.

The six-time MotoGP world champion returns to the paddock for the first time since May and told reporters at the Austrian GP that he is optimistic despite yet to returned to full fitness.

The Spaniard is currently en route to recovery and is increasing his workload. 

“My intention is to make some races this year.

“Next week I will have the answer if it will be possible or not.

“When I feel ready I will come back because it will be important to prepare for 2023,” he said.

Honda surely wants their star rider back on the grid as Marquez remains the highest-placed Honda rider in the championship – at 14th – despite missing six races so far. 

“Then the next two weeks I started to move my arm, with the physio. The last four weeks I started to work a little bit with elastics. Now I start to increase a little bit the weight.

“If I need to wait one more week, I will wait. When I will feel 70 or 80%, when I feel I can ride a MotoGP bike in a more or less good way, I will come back.

“The last part of the rehabilitation, the best way, is to be on the bike. You cannot wait to be 100% before riding the bike,” he added. 

MotoGP returns to action this weekend at the Red Bull Ring.