Bengaluru, April 13: After being on the sidelines for nine months, six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez will back in action for the Portuguese Grand Prix on a track he has never raced.
It has been a long road to recovery for the Spaniard, who has won eight races in all categories together.
It may be recalled that the 28-year-old fractured his humerus in the opening race in Jerez last year and had to withdraw from the next Grand Prix after attempting to return.
MotoGP 2021: Relieved Marquez gets green light to return in Portugal
The Repsol Honda rider underwent three operations, the latest of which was carried out in December after it was discovered he had sustained an infection in the fracture.
Marquez, who missed the opening two races of the 2021 FIm MotoGP World Championship in Qatar will face a field of rivals ready to measure their mettle.
Marc Marquez to miss MotoGP season openers in Qatar
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) are now all premier class race winners.
Mir is the first MotoGP world champion in ten years not called Marc Marquez or Jorge Lorenzo. Ducati are the reigning Constructors' Champions and Team Suzuki Ecstar the Teams'.
Engines on! It’s race week😁 pic.twitter.com/gvBoa74y1y
— Marc Márquez (@marcmarquez93) April 12, 2021
Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) leads the 2021 Championship, many on the grid are in different colours and some familiar sparring partners have gone.
Some are new faces entirely and there is even someone different on the other side of the Repsol Honda Team garage as Pol Espargaro continues to settle in.
This has all happened in what feels for many like a breathless, exciting rush - and will likely have felt to Marquez like the longest months of his life. But the wait is over, and the Grande Premio 888 de Portugal just cannot start soon enough at the Algarve International Circuit.
The race starts at 1pm local time (5.30pm IST) on Sunday (April 18) and the Indian audience can catch all the action live on Eurosport channel.
(By a special arrangement with Dorna Sports)