A method for the transition of a gasoline engine with direct gasoline injection and with a variable valve train assembly from an initial mode of operation to a target mode of operation, whereby the initial mode of operation and the target mode of operation are either a mode of operation with an externally-supplied ignition or a mode of operation with a self-ignition, wherein the method comprises adapting operating parameters of the initial mode of operation to required values for the target mode of operation in a map-based pilot control phase; shifting the mode of operation after the map-based pilot control phase; and controlling the operation parameters after the shift.