Thierry Neuville’s world title charge is in a similar state to his car after the contender finished the sixth stage of Rally Australia without a rear left tyre.

The Belgian entered the World Rally Championship finale just three points behind five-time defending champion Sebastien Ogier in the closest title fight for 15 years.

And he held the upper hand on his French rival, building a near-10 second gap through the first five stages at Coffs Harbour before hitting a chicane on Friday and finishing the stage with only three tyres on his Hyundai i20.

Neuville was fortunate the puncture occurred late enough in the day to finish all six forestry stages and avoid a retirement.

But the mistake still cost him 40 seconds and has given Ogier, who’s now 31.1 seconds ahead of him, a clear run at his sixth straight crown.

In his last start with Ford before a move to Citroen next year, Ogier struggled as the first to drive the dusty, slippery forest routes.

With Ogier on sweeping duties the back markers flourished, Mads Ostberg the best of them to take the overall lead in his return to the tour.

Ostberg was forced to miss the previous round in Spain to make way for rally winner and nine-time world champion Sebastien Loeb, who was making the last of his three guest appearances for Citroen.

The Norwegian leads Jari-Matti Latvala by 6.2 seconds, with sixth-stage winner Craig Breen a further 1.3 seconds back.

Ogier is seventh and 41.7 seconds off the pace but only needs to finish ahead of Neuville to claim the title.

Roles will reverse on Saturday, with Ogier to start further back in the field and do his best on cleaner roads to make up the day-one deficit before Sunday’s final stage.

There was no shortage of drama on the opening day of racing, with 2016 champion Andreas Mikkelsen an early casualty after finding a ditch in his Hyundai.

Mikkelsen had only just avoided a tractor that had found its way onto the course.

Former Australian Rally Championship winner Molly Taylor and co-driver Malcolm Read were also forced out of their event when their Subaru hit a hay bale at high speed on the morning’s second stage.

Both reported soreness but suffered no serious injuries.