Toyota Prospect Draws Ott Tanak Comparison From Hanninen

Jaspar Vaher continues to attract attention in the rally world after securing the first overall rally victory of his career at the Finnish Rally Championship round in Jyväskylä. The young Estonian's rapid progress has now earned comparisons with 2019 world champion Ott Tanak.

The 19-year-old finished ahead of far more experienced competitors including Esapekka Lappi and Mikko Heikkila on the demanding gravel roads of Central Finland. The result further strengthened his reputation as one of the brightest prospects within the Toyota Gazoo Racing driver development system.

Among those impressed by Vaher's development is Juho Hanninen, who works as a coach in the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC Challenge Programme. According to Hanninen, Vaher combines speed with a level of maturity that stands out for a driver of his age.

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"He's a very approachable and open person. He's easy to work with and easy to talk to about anything."

"At the same time, he's extremely self-critical and highly ambitious. One of the things I particularly like is his ability to see the bigger picture."

Hanninen believes Vaher already understands one of rallying's most important lessons: success is not achieved by winning every stage but by managing an event intelligently from start to finish.

"He doesn't need to win every stage. He understands the bigger picture. Overall, he's a very pleasant person to work with."

That mentality immediately reminded Hanninen of Tanak, who built his career on consistency, determination and an unwavering focus on his own performance rather than the actions of rivals.

"Perhaps there's a little more softness in Jaspar, but otherwise there are a lot of similarities."

"He's not particularly interested in what everyone else is doing. He doesn't ask about other drivers' choices or tyre selections; he focuses on his own work. He constantly wants to improve and analyses his own performance very critically. Overall, he has a lot of very good qualities."

With his WRC debut approaching and his performances continuing to improve, Vaher is increasingly being viewed as one of Toyota's most exciting long-term prospects. Comparisons with Tanak may still be premature, but Hanninen's assessment highlights just how highly regarded the young Estonian has become within the rally community.