Grapevine: McLaren deny talks with Rosberg

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has dismissed reports that his team are poised to make a swoop for Williams driver Nico Rosberg

Speculation after the Malaysian Grand Prix suggested that McLaren were considering buying Rosberg out of his Williams contract to slot in alongside Fernando Alonso at the team next year.

But speaking at Albert Park on Saturday, Dennis rubbished the rumours - and further denied other suggestions that he was looking at poaching Renault's director of engineering Pat Symonds.

"We have had no dialogue with Nico, nor Keke (Rosberg), nor Frank (Williams), so I have absolutely no idea where this rumour came from," said Dennis. "And I can add Pat Symonds to that. I have had no dialogue with him nor has any other member of McLaren."

Dennis's denials about Symonds come at a time when rival teams have been luring staff away from his outfit. Red Bull Racing in particular have captured the signatures of designer Adrian Newey and aerodynamicist Peter Prodromou, with Red Bull Racing's former chief designer Rob Taylor moving the other way.

Speaking about the movement of staff, Dennis said: "We are totally committed to our current design and engineering group.

"They are doing an excellent job...The vast majority of people in the organisation are on long multi-year contracts and there is an inevitability that they are approached by some of the teams that don't have the depth or calibre of staff that we enjoy.

"But that is just part of having a Formula One Grand Prix team and doing a good job. People are constantly going to be approached, but at the moment we are very stable, very focused and we have a very committed group of engineers and mechanics."