Keeping control of the 488

Significant diff in power and ability to step out on you but electronics and vehicle dynamics have come a long way also. You will be fine, these aren’t mustangs and corvettes that have challenged dynamics, relatively speaking.
Just keep the dial in sport for a while and see how it keeps you safe and then move to race and feel the nets loosen but still safe.

 

The 488 is amazingly well controlled and you will be surprised how far you can push it without getting in trouble. I was worried about the same thing at first but after a few days you get used to the power and control.

 

You will be fine. I find 488 super easy to control, even easier than my old 360. It doesn't put the power down as well as Mclaren is but still superb for the kind of power it has.

Just monitor tire temperature, when tires are warm it sticks. Also highly recommend Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires or Trefeo R.

 

Just stay away from CT/OFF or ESP off mode. Sport or Race are almost idiotic-poof.
Sport really limits the torque and only allowes full power if the steeringwheel is straight and the road/grip can handle it.

Race has a little bit more agressive torque delivery, but yet i never had the car oversteering out of any corner. no matter what speed or gear. Car will not slide.
but sometimes you can sense a little "movement" in the rear, but thats it.

CT/off is the best mode for driving fast and sporty, but you should be able to handle a little bit of oversteer out of the corners. It will help you even if you dont countersteer, but you should not rely on it.

ESPoff is as the name suggests, but still very easy to control.

The correct names for the driving modes should be Comfort/Wet,Normal,Sport,Race,ESP/off. But you cannot have a "normal" mode in a ferrari

 

Race mode in the Speciale was very loose!
My spider less so but still lacking traction.

 

make sure your tires are warm before being Led foot and you should be fine Race mode will even tell you when your tires are ready, Enjoy !!

 

CT off and you become drift god! lol

only catch is brake pad will be gone way sooner than expected.

CT off not only cuts throttle but also individually brake wheels if needed and front pads wear alot.

Eventually, you will be curious about what ESC off is like, since you seem to control the car with CT off, and you will have to be very very careful.

ESC off and you need to be very very conservative and sensitive about throttle input.

It will spin if you do whatever you do when the car was in CT off mode, and when this happens, if you brake late, car will spin and go backward due to weight in the back.

It is a very very very good car if you know what you are doing.

 

You will also be very pleasantly surprised at how much stiffer the chassis is. Its a noticeable improvement. This allows them to have a faster reacting suspension, especially in the rear, and in turn allows for a faster reacting front end. The 458 systems are a big step over the 430 and the 488 is a step beyond the 458. So its the same as it ever was: if you drive in a reasonable manner you won't have anything to worry about. When the road is straight and the tires are warm, press down the throttle. You will be shocked at just how rapid the 488 is.