SYDNEY (Reuters) - France's Sebastien Ogier secured his sixth consecutive world rally championship title when his two remaining rivals failed to finish stages on the third day of the season-ending Rally Australia at Coffs Harbour on Sunday.
The M-Sport Ford driver's nearest rival Thierry Neuville of Belgium, who came into the rally three points behind Ogier in the title race, was forced to retire from stage 22 in his Hyundai.
Toyota's overnight leader Ott Tanak also had a mathematical chance of taking the title but the Estonian's chances were scuppered when he slid off a gravel track made slippery by rain in the penultimate stage.
Ogier, whose title was a 14th in a row for France after Sebastien Loeb's nine straight from 2004, will be leaving Ford after two years at the end of the season and rejoining Citroen.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Ian Ransom)