Disclosed is a method for controlling a combustion engine, the combustion engine including an inlet circuit and an exhaust circuit, the method including the steps: determining a temperature of the exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust circuit of the combustion engine; comparing the determined temperature with a maximum threshold; and if the determined temperature is less than the maximum threshold, controlling the engine by decrementing the richness of operation by a predetermined value and jointly incrementing by a predetermined value a level of exhaust gases recirculated between the exhaust circuit and the inlet circuit of the combustion engine.