So then we go to Fiorano and De Simone gives a virtuoso piece of taut, aggressive driving talking all the while. "The systems came from the race program, not the road car," he says. "You can drive it a bit more on the edge than the rear-drive cars, but you know if you drive badly, it's not the fastest way, so be aggressive, but clean."
Even in a lot less expert hands, it feels super quick and for a 1.38-tonne car, extraordinarily agile. It turns in brilliantly quickly, but when times comes to balance power against the unwinding of the steering lock, there's a docility, born out of the car's electronic traction, stability and electronic differential that feels like the hand of a giant deity. It's almost, but not quite, too much, too disembodied and, well, weird, but when those special Michelins do give up the ghost and you steer into the slide, it's nice to know the systems come off the slide with better manners than almost any previous Ferrari.
It doesn't rewrite the rules of what a mid-engined car can do, but with more power, more grip and less weight, the Pista makes the 488 an even more formidable automobile. Whether such a car can or should be exploited on a public road is another question and one also wonders about the abilities and sense of responsibility of its owners. That said, 488 Pista should be celebrated as an extraordinary piece of engineering, even if those eight-grand body stripes are simply ludicrous.
The Numbers
Engine: 3.9-litre, twin-turbocharged 90-degree V8
Transmission: seven-speed, twin-clutch, semi-automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power/Torque: 710bhp @ 8,000rpm, 568lb ft @ 3,000rpm (720PS @ 8,000rpm, 770Nm @ 3,000rpm)
0-62mph: 2.85sec
Top speed: 211mph
Price £252,765