Method for operating an internal combustion engine

A control element including a flash memory for a control apparatus of an internal combustion engine, including an engine of a motor vehicle, the control element comprising a program stored thereon which can be run on a computing apparatus including a microprocessor, and said program being configured to carry out the method steps of:

• injecting fuel directly into a combustion chamber by an injection valve in a first operating mode during an induction phase or in a second operating mode during a compression phase and igniting the fuel with a spark plug;
• inducting a lean air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber via the tank venting in a third operating mode;
• and,
• injecting additional fuel into the combustion chamber in the induction phase and in the compression phase.

An internal combustion engine including an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, the engine comprising:

• a combustion chamber;
• an injection valve for injecting fuel directly into said combustion chamber and a spark plug for igniting the injected fuel in a first operating mode during an induction phase or in a second operating mode during a compression phase;
• and,
• a control apparatus for controlling drawing a lean air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber in a third operating mode via a tank venting and controlling the injection of additional fuel into the combustion chamber in the induction phase and in the compression phase.