This method includes the following steps: —determining the angular position and the rotational speed for a first point of measurement and a second point of measurement of a engine position sensor, —determining at least one gradient of the rotational speed different from the speed gradient between the two points of measurement of the previous step, —approximating the actual rotational speed curve with respect to the angular position with a polynomial function of degree two, and —carrying out a calculation, in advance, for determining an estimated rotational speed at the predefined position, the position defining a future angular position of the crankshaft, by applying the polynomial function to the predefined future position. The method can be used to predict engine rotation reversal.