A precontrol is carried out for the control of the position of the camshaft via a camshaft actuator especially in internal combustion engines and preferably in such engines of motor vehicles. For this purpose, a control for the position of a camshaft is carried out by a camshaft actuator with reference to a reference position in dependence upon the actual position of the camshaft and in dependence upon a determined desired position for the camshaft. An actuating signal for driving the actuator for the camshaft is determined from the desired position and the actual position of the camshaft actuator. In the determination of the actuating signal, a precontrol component is considered which is determined based on state quantities characterizing the operation of the camshaft actuator.