After topping the morning session, Marquez was sixth in FP2, three tenths off the pace but still the fastest of the Hondas.

Marquez revealed that he had been sick throughout the day and while it did not prevent him from being fast over a single lap, it limited his focus and consistency.

"Today we need to consider that about set-up we were not 100 percent but even I was not on my 100 percent," he explained.

"I was riding in a strange way, I was not concentrating 100 percent because I was sick and was difficult to understand everything but we work for the race distance.

"When you are not physically 100 percent, especially when you have a fever and everything, you are able to be fast because you have this instinct but the way to understand the bike, to concentrate and to be constant.

"For example, I am a rider that is able to do all the laps at 100 percent, and today just I did some laps 100 percent and then slow down to 80 percent because I feel like the reactions and everything were slower than normal. Then [this] becomes dangerous.

"Just experience [told me to] slow down a little bit, we are on Friday and tomorrow we will try to push in a different way."

Marquez, however, added that he's been getting better since Thursday, and hopes to improve his condition for the rest of the weekend.

"Looks like the good thing is that it is coming better already. Yesterday was the worst day and today is coming better but yeah, it needs time."

Petrucci also under the weather

Ducati factory rider Danilo Petrucci was also struggling with illness, the Italian feeling "very weak" despite ending Friday in third place overall.

“I’m struggling a lot with my body. I have bad flu and I’m taking antibiotics," said Petrucci, who then rued having ridden to the circuit on a road bike alongside Andrea Dovizioso in an event organised by Ducati.

"I feel very weak. I have some fever, unfortunately. Maybe was not the right decision to arrive here with the bike under the rain, but anyway we try to be better tomorrow.”

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Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont