Method for the direct injection of fuel into an internal combustion engine

A method for the direct injection of fuel into an internal combustion engine, wherein a high-pressure pump (4) with a variable flow rate supplies the fuel to a common rail (3), which in turn supplies the fuel to a series of injectors (2); the flow rate of the high-pressure pump (4) is controlled by choking each pump stroke by varying the closure time of an intake valve (16) of said high-pressure pump (4); the mechanical actuation of the high-pressure pump (4) is timed so that each injection interval (I) is located at the beginning of a respective choking action; and each pump stroke is choked by at least an angular interval having a duration no shorter than that of the injection intervals (I) irrespective of the quantity of fuel to be supplied to the common rail (3) in such a way that the injection phase of each injector (2) always takes place when the high-pressure pump (4) is not pumping fuel to the common rail (3).