A method and an apparatus for forming a fuel-air mixture for an internal combustion engine during a cold-starting and warmup phase. During the normal operation of the engine, fuel is evaporated by means of an evaporation and condensation system in order to recover low-boiling fuel components from the fuel delivered to first fuel delivery means during normal operation. The low-boiling fuel components condense and are collected as cold-starting fuel in a supply container. The engine, during the cold-starting and warmup phase, is supplied with cold-starting fuel from the supply container by means of second fuel delivery means, in order to reduce the concentration of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas during the cold-starting and warmup phase.