Whether it's a mind game or true compliment, reigning World Champion Jorge Lorenzo thinks rookie starlet Marc Marquez this season will match the accomplishments of Lorenzo and fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa in their respective first seasons.

2012 Moto2 World Champion Marquez will make his premier-class debut this season as a teammate to Pedrosa with Repsol Honda. He rode within one second of Pedrosa during his first MotoGP test, in November at Valencia.

"I'm sure he will be at least as competitive as I was in 2008, and Dani Pedrosa in 2006," Lorenzo said to Italian media. "Maybe more, because with a good (bike), results are easier to come by. He will do even better if he does not make the mistakes that I did in my debut year."

Lorenzo won the pole for the first three races of his MotoGP career in 2008 and also earned a victory at Estoril on his Yamaha. Pedrosa captured four poles and two victories as a rookie with Repsol Honda in 2006.