Lowes began racing motorcycles at the age of six. He competed in motocross between 1998 and 2001 before switching to road racing in the JRA Championship in 2002, finishing second overall on a Cagiva. In 2003 he entered the Aprilia Superteen Championship at age 12, finishing fourth overall despite the series being open to riders aged 13 to 19.
He progressed through the GP125 MRO Championship in 2004, winning at Pembrey Circuit and finishing runner-up overall. He made a wildcard appearance in the 125cc World Championship at Donington Park in 2006 before moving to the British Supersport Championship in 2007 on a Honda CBR600RR, becoming the youngest competitor in the series.
Lowes raced in the European Superstock 600 Championship in 2008 on a Kawasaki for Kawasaki Italia, achieving a best result of second place and finishing sixteenth overall. For 2009 he moved to the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup on an MV Agusta, but the season was disrupted when owner Harley-Davidson placed MV Agusta for sale, causing the team to miss the final round. He raced in the Superstock 1000 Cup again in 2010 with a Suzuki-backed squad, though that team folded before the season started; he recovered to sign with Seton Tuning Yamaha and finish twelfth in the standings.
After a transitional 2011 season that saw him ride for four different teams including a stand-in role for the injured Jonathan Rea at Ten Kate Racing, Lowes had a breakthrough 2012 campaign with Team WFR. He finished fourth overall, recorded a double win at Silverstone, and qualified for the championship Showdown, ending the year with 584 points.
For 2013 Lowes joined Samsung Honda, the factory Honda squad in BSB. He delivered a dominant campaign, winning the championship over three-time champion Shane Byrne at the final round at Brands Hatch in October 2013. The title prompted Honda to close their BSB program, as Lowes moved on to the world stage.
Lowes made his full-time World Superbike Championship debut in 2014. He competed for Pata Yamaha on the Yamaha YZF-R1, spending several seasons building his presence in the series. In August 2019 he was informed he would be replaced from 2020 by Toprak Razgatlioglu. He then signed in October 2019 with the Kawasaki Racing Team, joining as team-mate to multi-world champion Jonathan Rea from the 2020 season onward.
Lowes achieved notable endurance racing success, winning the prestigious Suzuka 8 Hours in 2016, 2017, and 2018 — a remarkable three consecutive victories at one of motorcycle racing's most demanding events.
Lowes is the identical twin of Sam Lowes, who has raced in Moto2 and MotoGP. The pair both turned professional around the same period and maintained parallel careers across different championships, with Alex specializing in superbike-class racing.
Lowes won the 2013 British Superbike Championship on a Honda CBR1000RR for Samsung Honda, beating Shane Byrne in a decisive final-round decider at Brands Hatch. His three Suzuka 8 Hours victories stand as a defining achievement in his endurance racing record. His progression from British domestic champion to a multi-season World Superbike contender with both Yamaha and Kawasaki factory support reflects a steady rise through the international superbike ranks.
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