Toyota announced last week that it has recruited Vaher to its development programme for young drivers. Vaher is the first driver from outside Japan to be chosen for the scheme.
Vaher impressed the coaches of Toyota’s challenge programme – including former top drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Juho Hänninen – during the selection event held in Finland at the end of summer. Four other drivers also took part in the test.
“We spent a few days driving four-wheel-drive cars – the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 and the Renault Clio Rally3. In addition to driving, there were physical endurance tests as well, which involved running, strength exercises and flexibility,” the 18-year-old Vaher told the Estonian site Powerstage.ee.
“It was my first time driving a Rally2 car, and overall I have very little experience with four-wheel-drive cars. I got a good feeling for the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 very quickly, because it is a very good car and very logical to drive,” he said.
This season, Vaher competed in a front-wheel-drive Lancia Rally4 car, taking part for example in the junior category of the European Rally Championship. Next year, he will get to drive Toyota’s Rally2 car in WRC and ERC rounds as well as national rallies.
“At the moment, I’m not entered into any specific championship, but I think we’ll start the season with winter rallies in January – although I don’t know exactly which rally yet, because it largely depends on the snow conditions,” Vaher explained.
In the programme, Vaher’s personal mentor will be Juho Hänninen, who during his career raced for factory teams such as Toyota and Hyundai. Hänninen has also worked for a long time as the Toyota WRC team’s test driver.
The coming season will be a learning year for the Estonian talent, during which his development will be closely monitored. Based on that, it will be decided which rallies he will enter to gain experience.
“I don’t have a specific performance target, and my main task will be to learn and gather mileage. Expecting any incredible speed from me right away would be too much,” Vaher underlined.
