Ferrari 488 Pista 2018 UK first drive

As goes the modern Ferrari habit, the steering remains extremely direct – overly so for the road, at two turns lock-to-lock. And yet this is an electro-hydraulic set-up that’s intuitive and more reassuringly resistive than the electrically assisted system in the 812 Superfast. Along with stiffer springs than the GTB, a subtle drop in ride height and next to no body roll, direction changes are akin to flicking a switch. A beautifully weighted switch with a perfectly crisp action.

On British roads the Pista feels loud, wide and every bit the attention vacuum a new trackday Ferrari should be, but it’s a strangely easy car to drive fast and much of this is also down to the damping. Once again, 'bumpy road' mode, which softens the set-up, excels. How is it we’ve got to a point where a mid-engined homage to Ferrari’s sportscar racers conducts itself with greater pliancy, poise and predictability than the flagship GT car? There’s no doubt the Superfast is misconceived – too focused for the road – but by any standard the Pista is remarkable in its ability to absorb the road beneath without giving away anything in body control.

Unlike McLaren, Ferrari prefers to use an aluminium monocoque rather than a carbon tub but there’s no discernible flex and with so little weight to manage the two-way adaptive dampers provide pure, uncorrupted control. ‘Unflappable’ is a much-abused term but unless you’re downright clumsy with the throttle or spectacularly misjudge that crest or camber up ahead, the Pista feels as trustworthy as a Land Cruiser in the Outback.  

All this is just as well, because so potent is this 3.9-litre flat-plane-crank, twin-scroll twin-turbocharged V8 that it can genuinely spook you even if you’re used to quick stuff. Figures of 710bhp and 8000rpm and 568lb ft at 3000rpm signify extraordinary breadth and are achieved in part by the addition of titanium conrods from the same supplier as for the F1 team and an ultra-high compression ratio. It’s not got a patch on the drama and emotion of an old naturally aspirated motor, but the torque allows you to work the chassis more easily and this actually makes the car more engaging at modest speeds.     

And that’s the thing about the Pista – out on the road you’re not unduly punished for having one instead of a 488 GTB, or denied access to the more sedate satisfactions of driving at less than nine or ten tenths. So long as you remember to take the handbrake off before snapping on the four-point harness and don’t mind the aggravated pitter-patter of stone chips drumming the underside of the body, it’s a relative doddle. Which is incredible given the performance on offer.