By Darren Parkin
It was an unusually warm October Sunday at the Silverstone race track where one racing team was revving up awareness for Bitcoin.
The family-owned team of ‘Bitcoin Racing’ – led by principal Andrew Mackenzie and featuring deputy team principal Charlie Mackenzie, racers Chris Mackenzie #21, Prem Ghinde #36, and Luis Torres #210 – showcased their love for speed and their drive for Bitcoin adoption.
They see Bitcoin as an “escape velocity” from the flawed traditional financial system, a sentiment shaped by their own experiences during the 2008 financial crash.
Jason Deane, acting as the day’s compère, welcomed speakers who relived their own experiences and the potential of Bitcoin. Among them were Nanda Joree, who discussed her transformative journey, shedding light on how sound money has offered her newfound hope.
Jose Morales spoke about how Bitcoin has rejuvenated his homeland, El Salvador. His president Nayib Bukele’s initiatives include ‘Volcano Bonds,’ paving the way for sustainable Bitcoin mining and a sounder financial future. With El Salvadoran flags and cuisine around, the commitment to driving Bitcoin adoption was tangible.
Mick Morucci introduced The Geyser Fund, a crowdfunding platform for Bitcoin initiatives, and announced their sponsorship of Chris Mackenzie for next season. Emphasising the need for community and education in driving adoption, Mick also outlined his plan to unify fragmented social systems through his platform.
Transaction speeds across various payment platforms were discussed by Chris from Bridge2Bitcoin, with support from his fellow co-founder Simon. To many, this might seem like an exceptionally dry subject, but nothing excites Bitcoiners more than discussing the speed of The Lightning Network compared to Visa. With the use of a powerful graphic, he illustrated the stark differences in transaction speeds per second (tps) among platforms like The Lightning Network, with an astonishing 40,000,000 tps, compared with traditional systems like PayPal, which lags at 193 tps.
Chris explained the concept of “Orange Pilling” businesses. Embracing Bitcoin diversifies a company’s revenue stream and unlocks what he termed the “Peter McCormack hack,” granting immediate access to a whole new customer base eager to transact in Bitcoin.
At 2pm, it was time for the Bitcoin Racing Team to hit the track. With El Salvadorian flags displayed on the roofs of their cars, the roaring engines were a physical manifestation of the growing power of the Bitcoin network. Those from the meet-up floated orange balloons added to the electric atmosphere, transforming Silverstone into a crucible for change.
The day’s significance was evident when Chris Mackenzie clinched fourth place. Not unlike Bitcoin’s network effect, each racer’s effort added a layer of security and trust to the overall mission: making the public aware of Bitcoin as not just an asset but a financial revolution.
Walking back to base from the track, the sight of cars with popped bonnets and tinkering owners seemed symbolic. This scene encapsulates the DIY ethos and problem-solving nature inherent in the Bitcoin community. Each individual here recognises how broken ‘the system’ is, each person possessing a unique skill set. They are all driving adoption in their own way – whether by racing, baking, educating, or even by the simple yet powerful act of showing up.
Just like those car owners who are not waiting for a mechanic but are rolling up their sleeves to fix things, people in this community are not waiting for the system to repair itself; they’re actively participating in building a new one.
We cannot change our financial systems from the inside; they are too deeply flawed. What we can do is to continue to build these life rafts, these alternative systems. It is a race, but as seen at Silverstone, it is one we are all committed to winning.
In the words of Jeff Booth, “we are all nodes in this system, making it stronger”. At Silverstone, this was evident. Whether you’re a racer like Chris Mackenzie, Prem Ghinde or Luis Torres or a community lead like Jason Deane, whether you’re Jose from El Salvador or Yasmin baking Bitcoin cupcakes, your contribution counts. Every small action fuels this ever-accelerating race towards a decentralised, inclusive, and fundamentally fairer world.
