FINLAND'S Tommi Makinen moved closer to being crowned world champion after mastering atrocious conditions to build a comfortable lead on the second day of the Rally of Australia.

With heavy rain wreaking havoc in the seventh round of the championship, organisers were forced to cancel two stages after four of the first six cars were stranded in a deep river crossing.

But Mitsubishi driver Makinen sailed through unscathed and will become world champion for the first time unless positions change during the third and final day.

"I don't understand why the others aren't faster," said Makinen after opening up a lead of one minute 22 seconds. "I was driving quite safely, smoothly and nicely."

Sweden's Kenneth Eriksson, one of only two drivers with a mathematical chance of depriving Makinen of the title, forced his Subaru into second place ahead of Carlos Sainz's Ford.

That was despite stopping in the driver on the 14th stage, then running into electrical trouble which filled his car with smoke because of the amount of water it had taken aboard.