In the closing laps of last weekend's street race on the Marina Bay track, Sainz slowed down to give DRS to the following Lando Norris in an attempt to keep George Russell and Lewis Hamilton behind on their fresher tyres.
In the end, the ploy worked, and Sainz and Norris finished first and second, with Hamilton taking third after Russell crashed on the last lap.
At Suzuka, the positions were reversed, with Sainz catching up Russell and Hamilton, who were running fifth and sixth.
On older tyres, Russell was told to invert the positions and let Hamilton through, and Russell then asked if Hamilton could in turn give him DRS and help him to defend from Sainz.
Hamilton responded "understood" but the strategy only worked briefly before Sainz got past Russell, having told his team, "they are using my tricks against me!"
Sainz admitted that he found the scenario unfolding in front of him amusing.
"Yeah, I found it [funny], actually," he said when asked by Autosport about his comment.
"I was laughing in the car because I could see Lewis backing off in 130R to give the DRS to George.
"And I was like, I need to make sure I attack George into the chicane. If I don't throw him offline, it's going to be impossible to pass them.
"And I went very deep into the chicane, managed to get a bit of a switchback, and then I used the DRS, slipstream on everything to pass him. It was good fun. And yeah, it nearly cost me my own position with my own tricks."
Source: Autosport