Kevin Magnussen's father has hit back at media speculation that his future at Renault is under a cloud because of his work ethic.
A British magazine has added fuel to the uncertainty about the Dane's place at the French works team for 2017 by suggesting that he does not work hard enough and lacks commitment.
When the Danish newspaper BT tried to contact the 23-year-old former McLaren driver, there was no response.
His father Jan, who himself exited F1 in the late '90s amid then boss Sir Jackie Stewart's comments about his commitment, said that saying the same thing about Kevin is not right.
"I know that Kevin is working very hard on his training and physical fitness. In fact, harder than ever," he said.
"I also know that he is often at the factory to work in the simulator. Therefore, I am baffled by these stories."
Jan also thinks people may have the wrong impression about how hard Kevin works inside Renault, as he keeps "a little distance" to those outside the team.