Some people have the notion that carbon fiber explodes into shrapnel on impact...not so. Yes, fractured edges of composites are typically sharp, but then again, the same goes with torn sheet metal. Yes, composites can beak into small shards, and they might even go flying off quickly. The problem is mass - composites are lightweight, and simply don't have the kinetic energy to go far, or do any real damage.
Take this vid, of USF1's crash test a couple years back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc0wFyCIDfE
The nose cone is designed so that the layers fracture in as many places as possible, as progressively as possible, absorbing the maximum amount of kinetic energy in the process. Most other parts, however, are made to be light and strong for their intended purpose - wing parts need to be stiff enough to not flap, but they're clearly vulnerable - endplates seem to get broken off all the time...so teams appear to have taken the position of "as light as possible", and take the durability that comes with it.
***This isn't about bendy wings...that behavior would happen closer to the mounting pylons.
I'd be more concerned about how the components of the wing are bonded to one another - in a crash, one entire cascade detatching and clunking me in the head. But even then, they're so bloody light it wouldn't do much!
. You too Aleks. I will of course draw up a hold-harmless agreement for F1technical so there is no bad blood on the forum lol.
