Higher octane SLOWS down combustion flame travel time. Thus it reduces engine knock, pre detonation. Engine pre detonation WILL burn a hole is a piston. Depending on how much pre detonation determines how fast.
I've experienced ruining a race motor that was running lean and melted the pistons. Its not a pretty sight. Also had an injector fail and break a piston as well.
On our DD, low performance, engines it will be difficult to hurt them buy running lean or with to much timing with a stock ecu tune. Both produce pre ignition. Hopefully our knock sensors do their job and reduce timing to protect the engine and throw a code. With that said, if one hears detonation, marbles inside the pistons, let off the throttle and pull the spark plugs to confirm.
Aside on knock sensors, they are tuned to a stock engine System. Changing the exhaust Cat Back, changes knock frequency. We use to dial back knock sensor sensitivity and eventually turn the off on street rods. So buyer be eare when modifying exhaust.
Back to race engines, we "READ" our spark plugs, looking for dark specks on the porcelain. Also confirm timing and fuel.at max rpm and load. The specs are piston material from detonation. We have 2 NTK O2 sensors, $350 each and 8 egts sensors. We STILL confirm the ecu log by reading spark plugs. Further we clean our injectors several times a year. So often that I bought an injector flow/cleaning machine.
We have a tuned turbo CX 5 and always run 93 Oct fuel with a fuel additive that absorbs water and stabizes the fuel. We like many others I cring at the added fuel expense of 93 Oct. It's counter intuitive but to spend +30k for the car and then put the cheapest fuel in it...!
Sort of a penny wise, dollar foolish thing..