All reciprocating engines make power by making heat and converting the energy from the expanding gases to mechanical energy No heat, no power. The only way to get heat is to burn fuel, more fuel more heat, more power. Supercharging provides more air to burn more fuel. It also moves the heat through the engine quicker allowing the engine to produce more power without damage. This does not just apply to diesels. Bigger turbo, more boost, bigger exhaust, more power without melting the engine. The basic difference is that a diesel does not require a precise fuel air mixture to operate. The problem of managing heat in the engine is the same.
During the early fifties, BRM ran a 1.5L supercharged F1 engine that produced 600HP.
BRM V16The most powerful F1 engines yet were the 1.5L turbos used during the eighties with cars like the 1986 McLaren producing 960 race HP and well over 1000 qualifying HP.
Lotus Renault turboSome gassers although the BRM used a methanol based fuel.
