By Dave Faries

Staff Writer

MotoGP is a furious two-wheeled circus.

From March through October, the world's top motorcycle riders rip through 17 tracks in 15 countries. Their machines — Hondas, Suzukis, Ducatis, Yamahas and Kawasakis — are sleek, monstrous beasts featuring the latest technology and 990 cc engines, designed on the one hand to tear pavement from the very earth and on the other to flick delicately through diabolical turns. In the hands of someone like Valentino Rossi, world champion for four years running, or Nicky Hayden, these motorcycles turn into deafening, angry, white-knuckle blurs.

The arrival of these fiends in Brno kicks off the biggest weekend on the Czech racing calendar: The Gauloises Grand Prix of the Czech Republic, 22 laps on Sunday preceded by a full schedule of practice sessions, qualifying and 125 cc and 250 cc support races.

The teams say they're looking forward to a few grueling days in Moravia.

That's partly because the fast Masaryk Circuit has a reputation as a rider's track. "There are a lot of elevation changes, which give it character," says Suzuki rider Chris Vermeulen, "and it has plenty of room for overtaking."

Livio Suppo, project manager for Ducati Marlboro, says of Brno, "The bikes like it, the tires like it — I can't wait."

Not that it's an easy place to master. "It's not a particularly technical track, but it's quite varied," explains Colin Edwards, a rider for Camel Yamaha. Several long straightaways emphasize speed, but also test the balance of power and control.

"The most challenging part is the chicane coming up the hill," says John Hopkins, Vermeulen's Suzuki teammate. "Basically, the exit of the right hander is off-cambered, and getting a good drive up the hill is crucial." Camber essentially means the load placed on tires and suspension. Off-camber corners entice the bike away from its natural line. "One of the hardest things about it is the camber changes," Edwards agrees. The track includes a series of right and left corners sliding downhill, forcing riders to push the limits of grip.

"Tire choice is definitely important at Brno," Edwards continues, speaking of the decision to run either soft or hard compound rubber. "There's pretty heavy use on the sides of the front tire because of all the downhill corner entries, and then a lot of heavy camber changes with the bike on its side."

Last year, Edwards never solved the grip issue at Brno, winding up seventh. His teammate Rossi ran a near-perfect race, taking the checkered flag after a long battle with Sete Gibernau that ended when the latter suffered mechanical problems three laps from the finish. Ducati's Loris Capirossi crossed the line in second.

Just three seconds separated the top three bikes.

But in racing, three seconds is a lifetime. Little breakdowns, a momentary loss of concentration, a missed shift, a fraction of time to gain control of a sliding bike — any of these can be critical. "It's a very difficult championship," Suppo says. "One mistake, and there's 25 points gone."

So far this year, Capirossi has struggled through a series of problems after winning the season opener. He holds fifth place in the points race. Gibernau missed three events after a horrific wreck, underwent surgery following last month's U.S. Grand Prix, and plans to make his return at Brno. And the great Rossi suffered a career's worth of mechanical difficulties this year, but still hangs on in fourth. Edwards has his Yamaha in seventh, seven points behind Australian Casey Stoner and his LCR Honda.

As the MotoGP teams arrive in the Czech Republic to begin the final third of their 2006 campaign, three Hondas sit atop the standings: American Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda), Daniel Pedrossa of Spain (Repsol Honda) and Italy's Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda).

Looking at the points and a schedule that runs from Brno to Malaysia, Australia and Japan before returning to Europe for the final two stints, Suppo finds potential mayhem. "Nicky must hold his lead; the other guys must win," he says. Young drivers like Vermeulen are coming off breakthrough performances and looking for that big victory. Meanwhile, "Valentino will go all out — he has nothing to lose."

In other words, the weekend promises a circus of noise and fury.