He made a choice that is increasingly rare today: he captures cars and car races using film. In other words, he creates images of a fast-paced, frenetic world with a thoughtful and introspective approach. At first glance, this may seem like a contradiction, but it is precisely this pursuit that distinguishes an artist with a personal vision from an ordinary photographer.

Only true car lovers and historians would recognize the Monteverdi badge. Perhaps even fewer would know that its creator, Peter Monteverdi—the last Swiss luxury car maker—had once been a racing car driver of some repute. While plenty of column inches cover his exploits in the design and manufacturing world, this story delves more deeply into the lesser-told, and wildly mixed, fortunes of his racing career.

When he invented the Magicflash in 1983, the world of automotive photography was changed forever. But this futuristic invention was only...