Method for determining the progression of the load torque in an internal-combustion engine, comprising, for each combustion cycle of the engine, the steps of detecting the progression of the instantaneous angular velocity of the crankshaft in at least one given time interval of the combustion cycle; determining the progression of the pressure inside the cylinders of the engine for the combustion cycle on the basis of the progression of the instantaneous angular velocity; and determining the progression of the load torque for the combustion cycle on the basis of the progression of the instantaneous angular velocity and the pressure inside the cylinders.