After a pair of back-to-back season-openers in Qatar, won by Yamaha riders Maverick Vinales and꧅ Fabio Quartararo, MotoGP has arrived back in Europe for this weekend's Portimao event.

The big news ♑is that eight-time world champion Marc Marquez is making his return to MotoGP action, for the first time since last July, and will start today's ra♎ce from sixth on the grid.

Marquez's arm will face a tough test over the 25-laps, which will begin with a front row of Fabio Quartararo🦹, Alex Rins and world champions꧅hip leader Johann Zarco.

 Miguel Oliveira, Francesco Bagnaia and Maverick Vinales will have to fight their way through from the fourth row of the grid after accidents and penalties in qualifying - with Valentino Rossi starting jus⛎t 17th...

CLICK HERE for live updates from race day🌸 at the 2021 Portimao MotoGP...

Marquez has been sidelined due to complications from a broken right arm, requiring a total of three operations, meaning he also he missed last November's inaugural Portimao round, dominated by home star Miguel Ol🌱iveira (KTM).

Oliveira is one of five riders to have become MotoGP race winners since Marquez's initial Jerez accident, including Suzuki's reigning world champion Joan Mir, but how will the rising stars measu𝓰re-up against a recovering Marquez?

The MotoGP race𓆏 day action begins with warm-up at 9:30 and then the race - between Moto3 and Moto3 - at 13:00 local time.