All that playing about with bigger valves ,porting , cams and the like is to increase volumetric efficiency.
Tis possible to get 130% ve. A standard car motor [say a 308] used to run about 80%ve when new.
In other words it,s possible to stuff 50% more air/fuel into the same capacity motor with a bit of work [ and a lot of money ]
Or you can just jam a turbo/supercharger on it and supply it with some fuel that carries it,s own oxygen.
Or nitrous.
In the old days the rails were using some wierd rocket fuel that burns without air.
Their 1/4mile times were incredible BUT the fuel was downright dangerous and was banned.
Those tiny remote controlled airplanes running methanol are making up to 1hp per cc.
Imagine.