With Dandelion driver Kakunoshin Ota stalling on the grid after qualifying second, Lawson got on the offensive from third place and challenged his Mugen team-mate Nojiri for the lead in the opening sequence of corners.
The two drivers ran side-by-side into the Turn 2 right-hander but Lawson was left with little room and had to go over the kerbs at the exit of the corner.
