What a spectacle this weekend in Miami was! Although Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake were unable to bring home deserved points on this occasion, there were some really positive signs of team growth on a tricky but fun street circuit. Off the track it was great to see our own Stake ambassador, Sergio Agüero in the paddock representing us too! I was following events closely on social media and on tv.
Everywhere you looked during the weekend, you could see crypto. What I mean by this of course is that from event branding to official sponsorship partners (and of course car sponsors such as us), crypto’s influence on the grand prix was clear for everyone to see.
So why is Miami a notorious crypto hub in a country with ever-present strict regulation around digital assets? Well, I believe it is due to an extremely strong community of crypto influencers, globally recognised conferences and local politicians openly praising crypto innovations, in Miami’s case, with the mayor describing it as a ‘tsunami of opportunity’.
Without diving into too many specific laws and measures passed to ensure Miami’s standout reputation as a city welcoming of such innovation, I just wanted to highlight some key stats when it comes to the Magic City.
A number of incentives including tax breaks and friendly legislation have resulted in investment in Miami-based crypto startups jumping from $6m in 2020 to $745m just one year later. It is no wonder, therefore, that some of the world’s largest crypto conferences are held here and Miami has earned a reputation as crypto’s Silicon Valley.
The amazing spectacle of the weekend’s grand prix captures the essence of what the city is about, and for me demonstrates that forward-thinking attitudes can help bring about positive change especially when the potential of blockchain technology is realised.
The city is preparing to host Bitcoin 2023 on May 18, one of the world’s largest Bitcoin conferences. Despite recent months of relative turmoil amongst the trad-fi and de-fi communities, it is extremely positive to see that the light and sparkle of such a crypto hub has remained largely untroubled and determined to drive forward.
For me, the modern Miami Bull statue unveiled last year outside the city’s Beach Convention Centre (a modern version of the famous Wall Street statue) perfectly captures what the city is about. It showcases a willingness to adapt, even during tough times, and to forge ahead in order to bring about the benefits of the technology to all.
Seeing Stake branding on the back of the Alfa car this weekend was perfect for me. It will continue to give me great pride throughout the season to have both Stake and Kick alternating stunning liveries, as well as having our ambassadors and branding across the paddock.
F1 is a sport placing technological innovation at its very core, something I have spoken about before. There is a perfect synergy between what we are doing at Stake and Kick, what Miami is doing as a city and what F1 is doing as a sport: Innovating.
Although the team has a lot to learn from this weekend, we will continue to drive forward and I am certain that through further hard work and determination, points are just around the next apex.
Ed.
