Jenson Button has rubbished talk of a potential switch from McLaren to Ferrari to replace the under-fire Felipe Massa in 2013.
Button sits seventh and has a 51-point advantage ahead of Massa on the drivers' championship standings after one race win and three podiums for McLaren.
Ferrari has publicly supported Massa but it has not stopped the rumour mill from going into overdrive.
Button, though, was quick to quash talk of pairing up with Fernando Alonso next season in an interview with Italian magazine Autosprint.
"Well, uh ... there has always been contact," the 2009 world champion said.
"I always say 'hello, how are you?' when I see Stefano Domenicali in the paddock.
"But he knows and I know that I have a contract for next year.
"I really don't know why it (the Ferrari speculation) is focused so strongly in my direction," Button said.
McLaren are second in the constructors' standings, 53 points behind leaders Red Bull but the Englishman is happy to continue racing for the eight-time champions.
"I think if you look at this team, McLaren, you see a team that has achieved so much. And if you look at the Red team, you see the same thing.
"The Italians are passionate about sports, especially motor sport but this (McLaren) is the right place for me now.
"Although, as I've always said, 'never say never'."
Button then went on to say Ferrari was not the team for him at the moment due to Alonso's structure within the Italian manufacturer.
"He is a very intelligent driver and, maybe, in a parallel universe, I'd happily work with him," he said.
"It would be difficult but it's always interesting to have someone next to you who's so tough, so smart.
"I admire him as I admired Alain Prost, he created a great atmosphere around him, with very good people.
"I'm sorry for Felipe (Massa), but I think Fernando has the whole team around him."
Meanwhile, Button says he is unable to set a date for retirement.
The 32-year-old admits he still considers retirement but since moving to McLaren, he is determined as ever to achieve success.
"When I won the world championship and my (McLaren) contract was done, I definitely felt that I could also finish my career," Button said.
"But now, two years further down the line, I don't feel that this contract will be my last one. I've seen so many drivers finishing their careers earlier than they should have and regretting it dearly, so we have all that experience to look at.
"The fact is that I am doing something I love and something that I am good at and not a lot of people get that opportunity."