Operating method for a rolling installation for rolling a metal strip, - wherein the metal strip is rolled in a number of roll stands of the rolling installation, is then cooled in a cooling section of the rolling installation, which section is arranged between the roll stands and a coiling device of the rolling installation, and is finally coiled in the coiling device, - wherein a control device of the rolling installation determines a master speed (vL) for the rolling installation prior to the rolling of the metal strip in the roll stands, and operates the rolling installation according to the determined master speed (vL) during the rolling of the metal strip, the method being characterized in that: - the control device determines the master speed (vL) based on an actual energy content of the metal strip prior to the rolling in the roll stands, on a setpoint energy content (E2*) of the metal strip following the rolling in the roll stands and on a reference speed (vR), - the control device determines, by means of a model of the roll stands of the rolling installation, an expected energy content (E2E), which is expected at a set master speed (vL') following the rolling in the roll stands, based on the actual energy content of the metal strip prior to the rolling in the roll stands, - the control device optimizes a target function, in which the deviation of the expected energy content (E2E) from the setpoint energy content (E2*) of the metal strip following the rolling in the roll stands is incorporated, by varying the set master speed (vL'), - either a deviation of the set master speed (vL') from the reference speed (vR) is additionally also incorporated in the target function and the control device uses, as the master speed (vL), that set master speed (vL') for which the target function has its optimum value, or - the target function is not dependent on the deviation of the set master speed (vL') from the reference speed (vR) and the control device uses, as the master speed (vL), a linear combination of that set master speed (vL') for which the target function has its optimum value and the reference speed (vR). - wherein the metal strip is rolled in a number of roll stands of the rolling installation, is then cooled in a cooling section of the rolling installation, which section is arranged between the roll stands and a coiling device of the rolling installation, and is finally coiled in the coiling device, - wherein a control device of the rolling installation determines a master speed (vL) for the rolling installation prior to the rolling of the metal strip in the roll stands, and operates the rolling installation according to the determined master speed (vL) during the rolling of the metal strip, the method being characterized in that: - the control device determines the master speed (vL) based on an actual energy content of the metal strip prior to the rolling in the roll stands, on a setpoint energy content (E2*) of the metal strip following the rolling in the roll stands and on a reference speed (vR), - the control device determines, by means of a model of the roll stands of the rolling installation, an expected energy content (E2E), which is expected at a set master speed (vL') following the rolling in the roll stands, based on the actual energy content of the metal strip prior to the rolling in the roll stands, - the control device optimizes a target function, in which the deviation of the expected energy content (E2E) from the setpoint energy content (E2*) of the metal strip following the rolling in the roll stands is incorporated, by varying the set master speed (vL'), - either a deviation of the set master speed (vL') from the reference speed (vR) is additionally also incorporated in the target function and the control device uses, as the master speed (vL), that set master speed (vL') for which the target function has its optimum value, or - the target function is not dependent on the deviation of the set master speed (vL') from the reference speed (vR) and the control device uses, as the master speed (vL), a linear combination of that set master speed (vL') for which the target function has its optimum value and the reference speed (vR).