Brendon Hartley's father has slammed "rumours" the ousted Toro Rosso racer will become a simulator driver for Ferrari.
After a year on the grid, Le Mans winner Hartley has lost his place in Red Bull's F1 programme but remains in Porsche's motor racing stable.
However, Italy's Corriere dello Sport reported this week that the 29-year-old New Zealander was a top candidate to replace Daniil Kvyat as a Ferrari test driver.
"Where do they get this stuff from?," Hartley's father Bryan told Newshub. "It's just rumours.
"It's not the direction we are looking in at all," he insisted.
Hartley's father, himself a former racing driver, said Brendon is currently holidaying in New Zealand.