After Felipe Massa announced he will retire at the end of the season, Jarno Trulli said the Brazilian "wrote an important chapter" in Formula One.

Massa began his F1 career 14 years ago driving for Sauber at the Australia Grand Prix, where he raced alongside Trulli, though he spent the following season as a test driver for Ferrari.

The Brazilian made the permanent move to the Italian team in 2006 and, following third and fourth-place finishes in the drivers' standings, was beaten to the world championship by Lewis Hamilton by a single point two years later on the final lap of a thrilling home race at Interlagos.

Massa announced on Thursday he will bring his F1 career to a close at the end of 2016, and Trulli believes the sport is losing one of its greats.

He told Omnisport: "This is a moment everybody will have to go through at some point, like it happened for me.

"We lose another great driver who wrote an important chapter of F1. Now it will be up to younger drivers to take his place.

"I wish Felipe all the best. I will catch up with him in Monza but I want to tell him that there is still a wonderful life after F1."