Sunday, 19 November 2017: Thierry Neuville has re-established a handy buffer and looks set to claim his fourth World Rally Championship title of the season in Coffs Harbour on Sunday.

Torrential rain has forced the cancellation of the second-last stage of Rally Australia, with Thierry Neuville's 14.7-second advantage likely to be enough to see him crowned champion in Coffs Harbour.

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The Belgian had earlier had his 20-second margin cut in half by Jari-Matti Latvala as heavy rain fell on the NSW north coast, but the Hyundai driver defied the conditions to re-establish a handy buffer in the ensuing stage.

The wet conditions were dangerous enough to see the second running of the Pilbara stage canned, leaving only the 6.44km Wedding Bells route between Neuville and the title.

A win would give Neuville a fourth World Rally Championship title this season, two more than M-Sport's Sebastien Ogier.

But Ogier's consistency - he has only retired once and finished no worse than fifth all season - was enough to secure him his fifth world title ahead of the final round in Australia.