Method for operating an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle during a starting-up process of the internal combustion engine, comprising: obtaining a lubrication state variable which represents a lubrication state of the internal combustion engine, the lubrication state variable comprising a lubricant temperature (T ö) of lubricant in the internal combustion engine or a lubricant pressure of the lubricant in the internal combustion engine, determining a maximum permissible basic torque (M v,g) of the internal combustion engine depending on the lubricant temperature (T ö) of the lubricant in the internal combustion engine or on the lubricant pressure of the lubricant in the internal combustion engine, determining an increase factor (F E) depending on a duration (D R) of a previous standstill of the internal combustion engine, a duration (D B) of a previous operation of the internal combustion engine and/or a duration (Ds) of a previous lubrication process of the internal combustion engine, determining a maximum permissible torque by adjusting the maximum permissible basic torque (M v,g) depending on the determined increase factor (F E), and operating the internal combustion engine at an operating torque which corresponds to or is less than the determined maximum permissible torque (M v,z), the operating torque corresponding to the maximum permissible torque (M v,z) during the starting-up process if the maximum possible torque (M v,max) is requested, characterized in that the internal combustion engine is switched on in order to fill an oil gallery and/or to supply components of the internal combustion engine with oil, and in that the increase factor (F E) depends additionally on a duration (Do) since a previous lubrication process of the internal combustion engine, the increase factor (F E) being equal to or greater than 1, and the maximum permissible torque corresponding to the maximum permissible basic torque if the increase factor (F E) is equal to 1, and the maximum permissible basic torque being increased if the increase factor (F E) is greater than 1. obtaining a lubrication state variable which represents a lubrication state of the internal combustion engine, the lubrication state variable comprising a lubricant temperature (T ö) of lubricant in the internal combustion engine or a lubricant pressure of the lubricant in the internal combustion engine, determining a maximum permissible basic torque (M v,g) of the internal combustion engine depending on the lubricant temperature (T ö) of the lubricant in the internal combustion engine or on the lubricant pressure of the lubricant in the internal combustion engine, determining an increase factor (F E) depending on a duration (D R) of a previous standstill of the internal combustion engine, a duration (D B) of a previous operation of the internal combustion engine and/or a duration (Ds) of a previous lubrication process of the internal combustion engine, determining a maximum permissible torque by adjusting the maximum permissible basic torque (M v,g) depending on the determined increase factor (F E), and operating the internal combustion engine at an operating torque which corresponds to or is less than the determined maximum permissible torque (M v,z), the operating torque corresponding to the maximum permissible torque (M v,z) during the starting-up process if the maximum possible torque (M v,max) is requested, characterized in that the internal combustion engine is switched on in order to fill an oil gallery and/or to supply components of the internal combustion engine with oil, and in that the increase factor (F E) depends additionally on a duration (Do) since a previous lubrication process of the internal combustion engine, the increase factor (F E) being equal to or greater than 1, and the maximum permissible torque corresponding to the maximum permissible basic torque if the increase factor (F E) is equal to 1, and the maximum permissible basic torque being increased if the increase factor (F E) is greater than 1.