Leaked images of Ferrari's soon-to-land track-focused 488 variant appear to show that it will be named the Pista - which is Italian for track.

The Ferrari 488 Pista has now launched. Click here to read our story

The pictures, shared on American forum website Ferrari Chat, show the car's aggressive aerodynamic changes, including a large front splitter and more prominent rear diffuser. The image of the rear (below) also shows the car's name: 488 Pista.

Ferrari has refrained from commenting on the images or the Pista name. The brand's only official nod to the upcoming car has come in video form. Footage released last week (scrolls down) showed the 458 Speciale successor in action on track at the company's Maranello base.

Set to become the most hardcore, track-focused Ferrari road car yet produced, the top 488 model will use a 700bhp-plus engine derived from the 488 Challenge race car – two of which are also featured in the video – and feature new bodywork focused on maximising downforce.

An earlier leak of technical slides onto Ferrari Photo Page have also suggested the car's engine, which is expected to be 10% lighter in the Pista, will be the marque's most powerful production V8 yet produced.

Most likely, the 488's mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 engine will be boosted with increased turbo pressure and internal modifications to produce its anticipated 700bhp, with torque also increasing substantially on the standard car’s 561lb ft.

The Ferrari 488 Pista has now launched. Click here to read our story

The car, a hotter version of the 488 that will go toe to toe with the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, will essentially be a replacement to the discontinued 458 Speciale, which is widely regarded as the best driver-focused Ferrari to date. It has been spotted testing outside Ferrari's Maranello base on numerous occasions and is tentatively tipped for arrival at this year's Geneva motor show.