1. A method for determining a sparse Gaussian process model, comprising: providing an internal combustion engine in a test stand; recording supporting point data points from the test stand into a storage unit, the supporting point data points describing a behavior of the internal combustion engine; performing, by a hardware-based model calculation unit, the following: providing the supporting point data points, a parameter vector based on the supporting data points, and corresponding hyperparameters; determining or providing virtual supporting point data points for the sparse Gaussian process model, wherein the virtual supporting point data points are artificially generated supporting point data points; determining a parameter vector Q y * for the sparse Gaussian process model by performing a Cholesky decomposition of a covariant matrix K M between the virtual supporting point data points and as a function of the supporting point data points, the parameter vector based thereon, and the corresponding hyperparameters; ascertaining a covariant matrix K N , the covariant matrix K M , and a covariant matrix K MN , wherein K N is ascertained by determining a covariance of between the supporting point data points, wherein K M is ascertained by determining a covariance between the virtual supporting point data points, and wherein K MN is ascertained by determining a covariance between the supporting point data points and the virtual supporting point data points; determining a diagonal matrix Λ from K MN T K M −1 K MN , using the Cholesky decomposition of the covariant matrix K M between the virtual supporting point data points; determining the parameter vector Q y * based on the hyperparameters for the sparse Gaussian process model based on the diagonal matrix; determining an intermediate variable Q M =K M +K MN (Λ+σ n 2 I) −1 K MN T from the diagonal matrix Λ while using a Cholesky decomposition of the covariant matrix K MN between the conventional and the virtual supporting point data points; and determining the parameter vector Q y * based on the hyperparameters for the sparse Gaussian process model based on the intermediate variable Q M , wherein the sparse Gaussian process model is determined based on the parameter vector Q y *; storing the virtual supporting point data points and the hyperparameters for the sparse Gaussian process model on a control unit of a further internal combustion engine; and operating the further internal combustion engine, by the control unit, using the sparse Gaussian process model, the virtual supporting point data points, and the hyperparameters for the sparse Gaussian process model.