The invention relates to a method for the open-loop control and the closed-loop control of an internal combustion engine (1), the rail pressure (pCR) being controlled in the normal operating state in a closed loop control mode via an intake throttle (4) on the lower pressure side as the first pressure control member in a rail pressure control loop and at the same time a rail pressure disturbance variable being applied to the rail pressure (pCR) via a pressure control valve (12) on the high pressure side as the second pressure control member. For this purpose, a pressure control valve volume flow (VDRV) is redirected from the rail (6) to a fuel tank (2) via the pressure control valve (12) on the high pressure side, and an emergency operation mode is activated once a defective rail pressure sensor (9) is detected, in which emergency operation the pressure control valve (12) on the high pressure side and the intake throttle (4) on the low pressure side are actuated depending on the same set point value.