It looks like the two key components in modern performance fuels are cleaning agents, and friction modifiers. The former to prevent carbon deposit build up which can reduce performance, and the latter to reduce (obviously) friction, especially between the piston rings and the walls of the cylinder. Of course whilst with wet clutch engines you wouldn't want friction modifiers in engine oil as they would reduce clutch bite, in the cylinder there are no such problems, as long as a good seal between cylinder wall and piston rings is maintained.
And of course, if you examine what Shell are prepared to tell Joe Public, you won't get much in depth technical information about the work they have put into fuel development (do you really need me to explain why this would be?!
). Which of course is nothing, because as you imply, obviously quite rightly, Shell just came up with an advertising campaign that tells a pack of lies as in fact they sat on their arses and did nothing. Just re-labelled the same kinds of fuel that you used in the 80s. Of course when you raced in the 80s, you found out all the science that will ever be possible to know about engine performance and fuels, because you had the full, huge budget of a multi-national company at your disposal, who could see into the future and decide there would never be any further improvement, no matter what anyone did. In a way, it's a shame that by the 80s, everyone knew everything there would ever be to know in the field of science. This is why, presumably, you went on to win in GP racing at circuits around the world, and I would assume, you are still doing. I am suitably and humbly impressed
Here's something for you to ignore, or skim without really having any interest. Of course the bits you will carefully pick out are the marketing hype (shock, horror, there is some of that?!
) that prove what you say about "marketing nonsense such as 'longer life, cleaner engine' blah blah."
http://www.shell.co.uk/gbr/products-services/on-the-road/shell-fuels/shell-vpower-experience/shell-vpower-nitro-plus-unleaded.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAhvujBRDUpomG5cq_mI0BEiQA7TYq-tie-PSnmywHTiR1-xAtnkFfcjFz62pLJ8b6X3xc72YaAprN8P8HAQSo here's an idea. Why don't you, or anyone else for that matter, take Shell to court for false advertising? You are guaranteed a win
If you choose to reply to this, don't forget to continually bang on about octane boosting whilst ignoring any other possible components that can be added to fuel
Be warned, I may also choose to ignore your arguments too. Fair's fair, right?
P.S. Whilst I would normally not write in this style, I am trying to adopt the tone that you set, because I think it is one that you will understand more readily.
Oh, and I just made up everything I said before you joined the discussion because I'm a compulsive liar. But if you wish to (obviously fruitlessly) attempt to verify any of it, contact Brett at Woodford Motorcycles and Del at Del's Motorcycles and Tyres, Cirencester. Of course all the tuning the latter does for road and track is a complete waste of time because you quite clearly know better, so there's no more to be said. What would be the point in having more than one person (yourself) with experience in this field?