a method for driving a printing press having , an impression cylinder , at least one cylinder group having a blanket cylinder , a printing form cylinder , and an imaging device , an inking unit , and an inherent drive system , all for said printing form cylinder , a sheet feeding device , a sheet delivering device , a drive wheel train connecting the cylinders and the inking unit , and optionally a main motor drive , the method comprising detaching the printing form cylinder from the drive wheel train , driving the printing form cylinder by the inherent drive system at imaging speed during image formation , and re - attaching the printing form cylinder after image formation to the drive wheel train in an operating phase position .