Mana Performance was created in early 2017 by Sam Cotton. Known for his honest approach combined with high quality results means customers are always happy.

​

Starting out at the age of 16 years old helping in an MOT Station, and working on the owners rally cars, Sam was in his element. This involvement only made his addiction to cars grow, learning both at work and from research in spare time. At the age of 19 his first project car was completed, a 106 GTi, with a forged high compression engine, big brake kit, full suspension overhaul, custom exhaust, custom GSXR 1000 throttle bodies, Omex 600 management with custom loom, all from inside his parents garage. The learning curve of fitting a fully programmable ECU, with you own custom loom, was completed by road mapping the engine.

During the last year of University the 106 was used as a daily driver, and track car.

 

May 2010 saw the end of Oxford Brookes University and a 2:1 Degree in Motorsport Technology was the reward.

Managing to find a full time job in Kimbolton starting just 2 days after the final exam at University was a great turn of events. One of a two man team at Accurate Racing looking after a handful of Historic Formula 1 cars, Ligier JS49's, and Radical SR3rs's both in the workshop and at race events around Europe. 

​

9 months into this job, and having met a lot of new people in the industry and Sam was offered a job at HKS Europe who were on the same industrial estate. The new job enabled a much more focused insight into engine and engine control. Supporting WRC customers at events, doing in-house engine packages, and electronics packages taught by his mentor Mick Clarke was the foundation for the future of Sam's career.

​

During Sam's time at HKS a local race team called Track Club merged with them to form Track Group, this meant that the current role was diversified, and as all of the 13 Lotus Elise trophy cars had engine calibration and electronics done by Sam, he became the track support engineer, dealing with engine problems, Vbox issues, data analysis and even some driver coaching. Further to this the rolling road was used to calibrate an array of different vehicles and engine management systems, MoTec, Pectel, GEMS, Specialist Components, Emerald, OMEX etc.

​

Whilst at a circuit Sam caught the eye of another race team and was offered a job to work on a wide array GT cars. This led to a move to Moore Racing, British GT championship winning team. Initially looking after a Dodge Viper, BMW M3 E46 GTR (ALMS Spec), Mosler, BMW E36 Supertourer, Civic Endurance Car and a 1994 Benetton F1 Car in various championships. We soon got a requirement to build a 1964 Ford Falcon to compete in the Masters historic touring car championship. A ground up build where a lot was learnt with regards to chassis, fabrication, R&D and testing. During our first season with the car we were on the pace with the front runners, winning races and just missing out on the championship.

​

During the minimal spare time you receive within these roles, Sam still enjoyed going to watch race events, car shows and track days with his own cars. Whilst at a track day he met a local tuning company who were looking to enter the racing world, to compete with their own cars. Relishing the opportunity to take on a new challenge Sam started his new role at Jamsport as Race Team Manager and Development Manager. Starting a Race Team by building 2 cup spec Ford Fiestas in the month before the start of the season, and finishing the season with podium finishes and new customers was exciting. The subsequent growth over the next 4 years of employment saw the rapid expansion of the race team, new customers and with them the introduction to new championships such as Ginetta juniors, Clio Cup, and Dunlop Saloons. A high point was winning the Clio Cup UK with Ant Whorton-Eales in 2016.

In between racing duties at Jamsport, Sam still found the time to push a new electronics supplier called ECUMaster. A company designed to make better engine control systems for road and race cars, giving users ability to use high end strategy while maintaining good value for money. In 2013 Sam fitted one of the first ECUMaster EMU ECU's to his own turbocharged Honda Civic. Finding it very easy to work with and impressed with the features, Sam became a dealer for the new system, and has since fitted and mapped hundreds of the systems, Including developing plug and play kits for specific vehicles and helping ECUMaster develop new products and features. 

​

In mid 2017 Sam undertook his most recent challenge and started as a Freelance Data and Performance Engineer, helping Lee Mowle Motorsport with their Mercedes AMG GT3 car. Competing in British GT and Michelin Le Mans Cup. Using the Bosch system onboard the Mercedes as well as the Racelogic Video VBox, liaising with the engineers and drivers to maximise the performance of the Car, and the Drivers. AmD Tuning have also been involving Sam in their BTCC schedule, Using the Cosworth Pi system to compare the two drivers, and their different setups to try and get the best setup for the Audi NGTC car.

​