The present invention relates to a method for controlling a vibrating pile driver when driving a pile element (4) into a ground (6), wherein the vibrating pile driver includes a vibration unit (2) connected with the same and is attached to a carrier machine (5, 1), the method comprising the following steps: detecting at least one first status parameter of the carrier machine (5, 1) and detecting at least one second status parameter of the vibration unit (2). The method is characterized in that with reference to the at least one first status parameter and the at least one second status parameter a statistical ground model is generated, and individual operating parameters of the carrier machine (5, 1) and the vibration unit (2) are adapted to the statistical ground model, in order to optimize the energy consumption and/or an advance rate when driving in the pile element (4).