Touring car ace turns driving instructor The first step in teaching Will and Henry has been to buy them cars and make sure they are roadworthy. Will has a used, sporty Vauxhall Corsa, accessorised with racing stripes and Team Dynamics wheels from Rimstock, the family firm. It took little preparation to ensure it was roadworthy, but Henry's choice, a 1962 Volkswagen Beetle, requires more serious work. "Having driven race cars I'm used to feeling pretty safe, despite the speeds," says Matt, who competes in a Civic for the factory Honda squad. But the Bug has no seatbelts, no airbag, no crash structure. At least it doesn't go that fast. I said to Henry, 'If you can drive that, you can drive anything." " Matt's aim is to give the boys plenty of time practising on the road, allowing them to develop their skills and confidence, mixed with a handful of formal lessons with a qualified instructor to prepare for the specifics of the test. "Dad taught us to drive before we were 17," says Henry. At a race circuit he'd give us a little go [with a road car] and I bought my car in November last year, so I've driven it at home on the drive. We've had a couple of lessons and I learnt mirrors and left-hand reverse. Dad is really calm, he lets me do my thing, but if I do something bad, obviously he'll correct me. During the photo shoot, Matt could be found quizzing the boys on their Highway Code, but he is careful to keep the sessions positive. "We debrief as we are going along, rather than afterwards," he says. I try to tell them a couple of times to get it to sink in, but not like a stuck record so it becomes annoying. One thing I am doing is to teach them to drive defensively. If you doubt it, do not do it. Stop or slow down. Maintaining a friendly atmosphere is one of the greatest challenges of teaching any relative to drive, but so far Matt's laid-back approach - "If you are calm, they are calm" - appears to be paying off, with no disputes. Both boys passed their theory test at the first attempt and are eager to book a date for their practical test. On my 17th birthday, we went out straight away. It was quite nerve-racking," says Will. We've not had any arguments. I'm chilled out but I want to pass as quickly as I can because all my friends have got on to the road. It's just fun, as well. Both boys" personalities have shone through during their lessons with Matt, who describes Will as methodical - "He'll listen to you and put it into practice, or read it in the book" - and Henry as a "seat-of-your-pants" natural driver. Managing their different approaches has been key, as well as giving them a nudge when required. "It's a massive stepping stone in growing up," says Matt. Driving is the key to freedom. I know how excited I would be, and I know what they are missing, so I've been pushing them to pass their theory and apply for their tests. Once they get a date, then we'll smash a lot of lessons in. If you fail, you fail; you have to try at everything in life. It will happen.