My drive began on Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit and there was no time to familiarise myself with the car. I was given only four laps, so it was literally like diving into the deep end of a pool before I had learned to swim. The health-monitoring gear strapped to my body did me no favours.
The first order of business was to try the new downshift function. It sounds simple – all you need to do is hold the downshift paddle as you brake. Unfortunately, doing this feels quite odd because one will need to turn the steering wheel as you enter a corner, and the 488 GTB’s column-mounted paddle-shifters make this awkward. This clever function would work better with steering-wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.
Selecting Race mode on the Manettino dial solves this issue, as it leaves the gearbox in the default auto mode, while allowing it to hit every downshift perfectly. It does this even when you’re braking from 240km/h to 90km/h, which requires multiple downshifts in a very short time.
Moreover, the “nanny” Race mode is quite lenient, as it allows you to perform some tail-out antics before reining you in. Drifting, however, wastes time, so the “nanny” will try to keep the car as neutral as possible. If you want to let loose, just set the Manettino switch to “CT Off”.
For the 488 GTB, Ferrari chose Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres for a balance between sheer grip and ride comfort. These wheels are extremely communicative, too – you can tell when they’re approaching the limits of their adhesion.
Equipped with these Michelins, this automobile is supposedly two seconds faster than the 458 Italia around Fiorano. The former, however, really shows its true athleticism on the tortuous route around the Emilia-Romagna countryside.
Although it is wider than its predecessor, the 488 GTB still fits (just) comfortably on these country roads. Plus, with its superb chassis, one can place the car in its lane with pinpoint accuracy.
The helm is wonderfully precise and provides a positive connection with the road. There is heft in the steering, and because of the well-tuned chassis, you feel confident that the machine will obey your every command.
On regular roads, it is best to use the “bumpy road” damper setting. Although the ride is suppler, this actually makes for faster progress on undulating surfaces without any apparent loss of control. The harder Race setting is really only suited to circuits or perfectly paved roads.
