Walcott, 18, endured months of misery after his World Cup heartbreak last summer was followed by a shoulder injury.
But Arsenal team-mate Van Persie believes the England international has the personality to bounce back this term.
Van Persie, 24, said: “I have been practising with Theo and I can assure you that he is up for it big time.
“When we were doing tests over the summer it was very hard.
"We were running every day with the fitness coach and I could see it in his face he was really going for it.
“Theo is a young man but I think he has big, big ambitions for himself to show his qualities.
"His ambition is one of the biggest things about him.
"He is just 18 but I see in him a big, big desire achieve his goals.”
Yeah,once he steps up,he'll be as fast as the flash!