After starting 15th on the grid Lawson was involved in a first lap collision with Williams rival Carlos Sainz, which forced him into the pits.
A damaged front wing was was replaced by the Racing Bulls crew, but Lawson's return to the track was short-lived and he retired in the sixth lap due to damage to the car.
Footage emerged later of Lawson narrowly missing two marshals who were on the track, as he accelerated out of the pit lane.
Two men were on the track clearing debris, unaware the New Zealander had dropped behind the field.
Lawson was clearly rattled, judging by an exchange with a Racing Bulls engineer on their team radio immediately after the incident."Oh my god, are you kidding me," Lawson said.
"Did you see that? I could have f...ing killed him mate."
The engineer praised Lawson for avoiding the pair.
Lawson retired a handful of laps later, to register his fifth non-finish of his season.
Norris victorious
Lando Norris avoided the early mayhem to win from pole position and take the championship lead from McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, by a single point.
Piastri, who started the race in seventh place and 14 points clear of the Briton, finished fifth.
Charles Leclerc was runner-up for Ferrari, 30.3 seconds behind Norris, while Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen took his sixth successive podium in third place, after a nailbiting finish just 0.7 behind the Monegasque.
Oliver Bearman was fourth, for Haas, in a career best result for the Briton, a late virtual safety car ending Piastri's hopes of getting past.
The Brazilian Grand Prix will be contested early next month.
- Additional reporting from RNZ
