[GENERAL]
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Elias Vaughn Choi otherwise known as Elias Choi or by his Korean name Choi Minho is a Korean-Welsh racing driver currently signed with Scuderia Ferrari. Choi made his debut in 2011 with Sauber-Ferrari F1 Team (now Alfa Romeo-Orlen F1 Team) to partner Japan's Kamui Kobayashi. Starting at 12th in Qualifying, Choi managed to quench a solid 8th for his first race. He would then go on to finish 9th on the Championships, marking a successful debut ahead of his fellow rookies; Pastor Maldonaldo, Sergio 'Checo' Pérez, Paul di Resta, and Jerome D'Ambrosio.
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[CAREER]
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Choi started karting at the age of 4, entering numerous karting competitions up until he was old enough to enter higher categories. By the age of 16, Choi received a scholarship from Ferrari's Junior Driver Program, the Ferrari Drivers Academy (FDA). He was the first driver of Asian descent to have entered the prestigious program. Choi would then proceed to win several championships in the junior categories, including Formula 3 and Formula 2, ahead of Paul di Resta.
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In 2017, Choi signed a multi-year deal with Scuderia Ferrari to replace the retiring Felipe Massa. Two years later, in 2019, Choi won the Drivers' Championship, making him the first non-Mercedes driver to win the Championship in four years. His points haul dragged the team up to second place in the championship, ahead of Red Bull Racing F1 Team.
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In 2019, Choi managed to end Ferrari’s 12-year Championship Drought by winning the WDC with a 6-points margin between him and second-place Lewis Hamilton. The win propelled Choi to the top of the food chain, and he was dubbed as the ‘King of the Tifosi’ by fans of the Scuderia. However, suspicions regarding Ferrari’s use of an illegal engine were brought up by their direct competitors. Thus, an investigation was launched by the FIA. There were questions regarding the legitimacy of Choi’s championship win, and the matter was then settled in court, with Choi retaining the rights to his points, victories, and championship.
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The year 2020, thanks to the FIA punishment, became his worst year with Ferrari, with him dropping as far back as finishing 7th in the Championship, behind Scuderia Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly. Despite this result, Choi signed another multi-year deal with Ferrari, and said that they will soon be aiming for another shot of the Championship.
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[PERSONAL LIFE]
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Choi's family originated in the United Kingdom, with a Korean father, Choi Yungyeom, and a Welsh mother, Sioned Vaughn Choi. His father was a Test Driver for Williams F1 Team, while his maternal grandfather is the 2-time DAKAR Champion, Marc Vaughn. Choi spent most of his childhood in South Korea along with his mother, before finally moving to Europe to support the advancement of his career. Currently, he is residing in both London, with his long-time partner, model-influencer Taemin Lee, and Maranello, as part of his contract clause with Ferrari. Choi is one of the many Formula 1 drivers registered as a resident of Monaco.
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