Madara didn't want the title and he never planned to win anyway. He just wanted his dna and fake his death so the whole world can stop thinking about him while he work on his master plan. But lets be real, Madara love a challenge in a battle. If he really wanted to, he could've kill the 1st hokage. Shit if he knew that tobirma was going to kill his brother, he would've went all out and kill hashirama and tobirma on the spot with a clear mind. But he didn't, because he thought it was going to be like all the other battles. fight til tired, then retreat. He never thought that tobirma would go for the kill.
Yes Hashirama is stronger than Madara, but Madara is way smarter than Hashirama. It not always the strongest one that win the battle!