) A method to control a fuel pump for a direct injection system provided with a common rail comprising the steps of: calculating the objective fuel flow rate (M ref) to be fed by the high pressure pump to the common rail instant by instant to have the desired pressure value inside the common rail; comparing the objective fuel flow rate (M ref) with the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered by the high pressure pump wherein in case the difference between objective fuel flow rate (M ref) and the maximum flow rate (M max) is irrelevant or lower than a threshold value that can be adjusted during a set up phase of a control unit, no strategy is implemented in order to control the high pressure pump so as to contain the temperature variation (ΔT) generated during the pumping phase in the high pressure pump; and in case the difference between the objective fuel flow rate (M ref) and the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered by the high pressure pump is not irrelevant and exceeds and adjustable threshold value a strategy is implemented, which is aimed at containing the temperature variation (ΔT) generated during the pumping phase in the high pressure pump; and said strategy comprises controlling the high pressure pump so as to alternate exclusively operating cycles of the high pressure pump with the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered and idle operating cycles of the high pressure pump and in case the objective fuel flow rate (M ref) is equal to 1/n of the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered by the high pressure pump, the method comprises the further step of controlling an operating cycle of the high pressure pump with the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered and (n - 1) idle operating cycles of the high pressure pump. calculating the objective fuel flow rate (M ref) to be fed by the high pressure pump to the common rail instant by instant to have the desired pressure value inside the common rail; comparing the objective fuel flow rate (M ref) with the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered by the high pressure pump wherein in case the difference between objective fuel flow rate (M ref) and the maximum flow rate (M max) is irrelevant or lower than a threshold value that can be adjusted during a set up phase of a control unit, no strategy is implemented in order to control the high pressure pump so as to contain the temperature variation (ΔT) generated during the pumping phase in the high pressure pump; and in case the difference between the objective fuel flow rate (M ref) and the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered by the high pressure pump is not irrelevant and exceeds and adjustable threshold value a strategy is implemented, which is aimed at containing the temperature variation (ΔT) generated during the pumping phase in the high pressure pump; and said strategy comprises controlling the high pressure pump so as to alternate exclusively operating cycles of the high pressure pump with the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered and idle operating cycles of the high pressure pump and in case the objective fuel flow rate (M ref) is equal to 1/n of the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered by the high pressure pump, the method comprises the further step of controlling an operating cycle of the high pressure pump with the maximum flow rate (M max) that can be delivered and (n - 1) idle operating cycles of the high pressure pump.