Video: LaFerrari caught in the wild

A quick-witted cameraman has filmed Ferrari's LaFerrari undisguised on the open road for the first time – and his video shows just how devastating the performance of the new KERS-equipped hypercar is set to be.

The footage shows two 950bhp LaFerraris being driven in convoy along an Italian autostrada, under cover of darkness.

And despite shooting from a 542bhp Audi R8 V10 Plus – itself no slouch – when the driver of the lead LaFerrari decides to put his foot down, it pulls away with astonishing ease, illustrating the huge gulf in performance between the two cars.

Des Sellmeijer, owner of GTSpirit.com, who captured the footage, said that the two cars looked to be endurance prototypes, and that their engine note was so loud that it was clearly audible over the sound of the R8's V10 engine – a fact the video confirms.

The LaFerrari will be Ferrari's first foray into hybrid technology, and will feature a combination of a 789bhp 6.3-litre V12 and a 161bhp electric motor.

It'll go head-to-head with the McLaren P1 when it goes on sale – although there's no word yet on when that will be.