Method for controlling a drive train which has, for the purpose of driving, an internal combustion engine, an electric motor connected thereto and a friction clutch connected downstream, for a vehicle which starts by means of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor or a combination of an internal combustion engine and electric motor, characterized by the following steps: simulation of revving up of the internal combustion engine on the basis of a driver's request conveyed with the accelerator pedal, calculation and setting of a clutch setpoint torque in accordance with the simulated revving up of the internal combustion engine and a starting characteristic curve of the vehicle, in order to achieve, during the combined starting of the vehicle with the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, a starting characteristic which corresponds to starting of the vehicle purely by means of the internal combustion engine, or calculating and setting a setpoint torque for the electric motor in accordance with the simulated revving up of the internal combustion engine and a starting characteristic curve of the vehicle, in order to achieve, during starting of the vehicle purely by means of the electric motor with the clutch closed, a starting characteristic which corresponds to starting of the vehicle purely by the internal combustion engine, wherein during the simulation of the revving up of the internal combustion engine the respective virtual torque (M VM_virt) thereof is calculated by means of the internal combustion engine characteristic diagram (M VM (n VM-virt, pedal value)) using the respective virtual internal combustion engine rotational speed (u um-virt) and the respective accelerator pedal value (pedal value) with the equation M VM_virt = M VM n VM_virt pedal value, and wherein by integrating the movement equation a new virtual rotational speed (n vm_virt) is calculated using the respective internal combustion engine inertia torque (J VM) and the time which has passed during the starting process, with the equations n VM_virt_alt = n VM_virt n VM_virt = n VM_virt_alt + 30 ⁢ M VM_virt π ⋅ J VM ⋅ Δ T, and wherein a virtual setpoint torque (M R-set-point-virt) corresponding to the starting characteristic diagramme of the clutch controller (M start (n VM_virt, ntransmission)) is calculated using the respective transmission input rotational speed (n transmission) from the respective virtual rotational speed of the internal combustion engine (n VM_virt) and the respective transmission input rotational speed (n transmission), with the equation M R_setpoint_virt = M start n VM_virt n transmission. simulation of revving up of the internal combustion engine on the basis of a driver's request conveyed with the accelerator pedal, calculation and setting of a clutch setpoint torque in accordance with the simulated revving up of the internal combustion engine and a starting characteristic curve of the vehicle, in order to achieve, during the combined starting of the vehicle with the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, a starting characteristic which corresponds to starting of the vehicle purely by means of the internal combustion engine, or calculating and setting a setpoint torque for the electric motor in accordance with the simulated revving up of the internal combustion engine and a starting characteristic curve of the vehicle, in order to achieve, during starting of the vehicle purely by means of the electric motor with the clutch closed, a starting characteristic which corresponds to starting of the vehicle purely by the internal combustion engine, wherein during the simulation of the revving up of the internal combustion engine the respective virtual torque (M VM_virt) thereof is calculated by means of the internal combustion engine characteristic diagram (M VM (n VM-virt, pedal value)) using the respective virtual internal combustion engine rotational speed (u um-virt) and the respective accelerator pedal value (pedal value) with the equation M VM_virt = M VM n VM_virt pedal value, and wherein by integrating the movement equation a new virtual rotational speed (n vm_virt) is calculated using the respective internal combustion engine inertia torque (J VM) and the time which has passed during the starting process, with the equations n VM_virt_alt = n VM_virt n VM_virt = n VM_virt_alt + 30 ⁢ M VM_virt π ⋅ J VM ⋅ Δ T, and wherein a virtual setpoint torque (M R-set-point-virt) corresponding to the starting characteristic diagramme of the clutch controller (M start (n VM_virt, ntransmission)) is calculated using the respective transmission input rotational speed (n transmission) from the respective virtual rotational speed of the internal combustion engine (n VM_virt) and the respective transmission input rotational speed (n transmission), with the equation M R_setpoint_virt = M start n VM_virt n transmission.